Out of the Ordinary
by punklau
Summary: When Punk accompanies his friend on a weekend visit does he stumble upon a gracious young woman whose profession descrimates the beauty he sees within her? Will Punk fall head over heels for her? Will she allow him to? (Explicit language and chapters of a sexual nature)
1. Cheated

**A/N: Hey guys! Welcome to a new story. Gonna try my best to do something original which is quite hard at this point considering I've wrote a lot of stories. I'm dwelling more into changing the characters of Punk and AJ a little. I feel like I always give them the same interests and personalities and professions, of course I'll stick to a baseline but I'm gonna try bring different sides out of them. As for the story plot, you'll all just have to wait and see. Hope you guys enjoy and review the chapters to let me know what you think! Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Cheated**

* * *

"I am exhausted." A small, brunette woman moaned as she sat in a dress robe on a studio chair, looking in the mirror at her tired frame, reaching for a wipe to make a start on taking her make-up off.

"So am I." Another woman piped up beside her, already making a start on taking her make-up off.

"I can't wait to get in my bed." The smaller woman said. Her name was April Jeanette Mendez, but she was known to most as AJ. She lived in the city of Chicago and was a woman who loved her job. She lived with her friend, Kady, who accompanied beside her taking her make-up off. They lived in a two bedroom apartment in the rougher parts of the neighbourhood, but they were very intelligent girls who could handle themselves, and that wasn't just a saying they liked to both say.

Her parents along with her brother, resided in New Jersey where she was originally from, but when her job took off she moved and they weren't very happy about it, but she went ahead and done it anyway. She still called them every so often and kept as close as she could to them. She seen them at the holidays and for birthdays, but apart from that, they were pretty distant. She was glad there was no bad blood though.

"Can we stop by and get food from somewhere. I am starving." Kady groaned as AJ laughed and nodded.

"I was thinking the same thing." She agreed.

They got their make-up off and got into some sweats to head home in, taking their bags and leaving the dressing rooms. It was a normal occurrence for them to come out of a show completely starving. They placed an order into a pizza place and stood outside whilst Kady lit up a cigarette.

"Is your neck sore?" Kady asked, "My neck is sore."

"I'm ok." AJ shrugged, "I just think the sleepless nights are catching up on me." She sighed.

"No need to rub it in that I don't have a boyfriend." Kady rolled her eyes as AJ smirked.

"I'm not." AJ gasped with a loud laugh, "That wasn't what I was referring to. Tom snores loudly." She said.

"Yeah, I fucking know. I sleep next door." Kady said, "Why don't you ever go to his place? I could use the apartment to myself." She said as AJ laughed.

"You'd miss me too much." AJ said, "I don't know actually, we always just end up at ours." She shrugged as Kady finished off her cigarette, "You remember my brother is coming over for the weekend? I was hoping that maybe you could sleep in with me and I could give him your room. Or vice versa." Kady shrugged, "Unless you're staying at Tom's. Which will be highly unlikely." Kady rolled her eyes.

"I forgot he was coming." AJ groaned a little.

"Hey, I told you about this weeks ago. You know I haven't seen him in a while." Kady sighed.

"I know." AJ nodded, "Of course I can give him my room. Just as long as he doesn't mind Pipey in the room." She smirked as Kady laughed.

"He won't mind." Kady said, "C'mon." She said, "Let's get this food I'm starving." She wrapped her arm around her friend as they walked back into the pizza place to collect their order.

* * *

The weekend eventually came around and Kady's brother was headed to his sister's place to spend the weekend, but… he'd brought a friend with him. He was sure Kady wouldn't mind. He hoped.

"Why is it you never see her as much?" Kady's brother's friend asked, sitting in the passenger's seat as they drove along the road. Kady's brother lived on the opposite side of Chicago with his friend, Phil or Punk to most people. His name was Connor and he had befriended Punk from high school, so he already knew Kady, she just didn't know he was coming.

"She's always working." Connor shrugged, "You know how much she loves her job." He eyed him up.

"I know how much I love her job." Punk admitted, looking out the window, getting a smack from Connor, "Sorry." He smirked.

"She said her friend, the one who she lives with, has gave up her bed, so you can take that and I'll go on the couch." Connor said.

"Nah, you take the bed. I don't sleep much anyway." He told him, "So have you got stuff organised with her? You going out or-"

"I don't know. We'll probably just chill out. Maybe go to a bar to catch up. It's not like we have loads to talk about. Not much as happened since I last seen her." He admitted.

Punk had a rocky relationship with his parents and never really spoke to them. He spent his entire high school life round at Connor and Kady's house. Connor and Kady were both raised by their mom, their dad wasn't in the picture, but she was always nicer to him than his own mother was. Kady was just a little girl when he used to come round however.

He and Connor now lived in an apartment of their own. Whilst Punk worked as an engineer, Connor worked in sales. It got them by. They weren't thrill when their alarm woke them at 6 every morning, work wasn't fun for them, but they got through with it.

"I seen you talking to your dad the other day." Connor announced.

"Yeah. And?" Punk said.

"Well… it didn't seem like a bad conversation. You didn't have that permanent scowl that you normally have."

"He was inviting me over for my mom's birthday. My cousins are gonna be there. My annoying brother is gonna be there." He said, "I didn't have the heart to say no."

"Well I can't wait to see you come home with a black eye. Your brother is going?" Connor cringed, "Big brother?"

"He might be my big brother but I'm the bigger one." Punk said, "It isn't high school days anymore where I was built like a twig and a pushover." He said.

"You were anything but a pushover. You just never knew when to shut up." Connor laughed as Punk smiled.

"If I couldn't beat the guy with my fists I'd beat him with my mouth." He said.

"Well if your dad was sincere you should make the effort and try be civil."

"It's not my dad that's the problem. You know my dad wasn't that bad. He was just a little aggressive when he drank, which wasn't all the time. It was my mom." Punk said, "I swear she hates me."

"Doubt it." Connor said.

"You were there at thanksgiving last year. You seen the way she treats him compared to me." Punk rolled his eyes, "I swear she legitimately hates me and I don't know why." He said.

"She doesn't hate you." Connor shook his head, "You two just don't get on. I highly doubt you're the only person in the world that doesn't get on with their mother." He said.

"You get on with your mom." Punk said.

"Yeah, but I also don't have a dad." Connor said, "Not everyone has a perfect family life." He said as Punk just nodded.

"I know." Punk said, "Would be nice though."

"Hell yeah it would." Connor agreed, pulling up to his sister's apartment, "But not very realistic." He said, stopping the car and getting out with Punk.

"She in just now?" Punk asked as Connor lead the way into the close.

"She said she'd be in." He nodded, walking up the stairs in the apartment block, reaching the top floor and knocking the door where a woman to a similar height to his sister answered the door, he obviously assumed it was the girl his sister lived with.

"She's just getting out the show." AJ smiled, letting them in, "I'm AJ." She grinned, extending her hand to them both as they smirked and politely shook her hand. She was a good looking girl, in both their eyes, "Kady never mentioned you bringing a friend." AJ said.

"Oh, yeah. This is Phil." Connor said, "I thought I'd have him join me for the weekend." He said.

"Well it's nice to meet you both." She smiled politely to them, "I guess I'll set up the couch for one of you, I don't suppose you'll be wanting to cuddle into one another the next few nights." She smiled as they both just chuckled, watching her walk away over to the couch to set it up whilst Kady got out the bathroom with a towel around her head and her pyjamas on.

"Connor!" She piped with excitement, hugging her brother tightly.

"Hey, I missed you." He hugged her.

"And you brought Punk? You never said." She ditched her brother and hugged Punk.

"It's good to see you." Punk smiled. He'd grew up with both Kady and Connor and hadn't seen Kady in a long time. She hadn't changed really.

"Have you met AJ?" Kady asked, turning to AJ.

"Yeah, they've met me." AJ laughed as she threw some blankets at the end of the couch, "I'll get out your hair, I'm going to Tom's." AJ announced as Kady nodded whilst her brother and Punk made their way into the apartment to get comfy.

"So you're finally going to his for once." Kady said, "Well have fun." She smirked.

"Yeah, I thought I'd surprise him." AJ smiled excitedly.

"Go on, girl." Kady tapped AJ's ass as AJ smiled and left the apartment.

Kady then turned her attention to the only men that had been in her life. Despite her beauty she had never bothered with boyfriends, and these two men were pretty much the reason why.

"So, you guys hungry?" She asked, walking over to them.

"How long have you lived with your friend?" Punk asked as Kady laughed.

"5 or 6 years. Why?" Kady laughed, "She's hot, right?" She nodded as they both agreed

"Does she work with you?" Connor asked.

"Yeah." Kady said, "She has a boyfriend though." She said, "And you both aren't here to hit on my friend, you're here to see me." She smiled, collapsing in between them happily. She'd missed them very much and was actually glad Connor had brought Punk along. She'd missed them both very much.

* * *

Meanwhile AJ was standing outside her boyfriend's house. She'd been in a relationship with him for around two, almost three months. Things were going good. Well that was what she thought.

After standing for five minutes with no answer, she walked into the house and shut the door over quietly, creeping upstairs, assuming he was probably sleeping, creeping into his bedroom slowly as she realised he was not alone and was reminded why she hadn't dated anyone for a while.

"What the fuck!" AJ exclaimed.

"AJ..." Her boyfriend, Tom scattered to his feet whilst the girl in bed with him covered herself, "AJ it's not-"

"Oh, fuck off." AJ spat, "Don't even give me that shit." She raced out of the room, completely embarrassed that she had been played like a fool. No wonder she was never at his house and he was always "working" late some nights. She felt like such a fool and was now reminded why she hadn't dated men since him in a long time.

She raced out of the house, not allowing him to say much more, and dashed across the road to the park to gather herself and dry her eyes. She felt like a complete idiot.

* * *

Later that night, after ordering in pizza and having a peaceful and talkative night with Punk and Connor, Kady went to bed, and the boys followed. Punk was completely fine with staying on the sofa, it meant he could stay up and watch more TV. He also wasn't fond of sleeping in a room with a snake only centimetres from him.

His head shot up from the pillow when the apartment door closed, he looked over the couch and seen it was Kady's friend, watching her rush into the kitchen wiping her cheeks and eyes. He knew a crying girl when he seen one, and even if he wasn't raised to be a gentleman, he was going to be one anyway.

He got up from the couch in his basketball shorts and old t-shirt, creeping into the kitchen where she stood taking a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Hey, you ok?" AJ asked him, trying to pretend everything was all fine and dandy.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" He questioned, "Why you upset?" He asked.

"No reason." She shook her head defensively, "I'm going to bed. Help yourself to anything in the fridge or cupboards." She told him, walking by him with a forced smile and going into Kady's room to sleep for the night.

He didn't expect her to have an hour long conversation with him, but he was only trying to see if she was ok, he hoped she didn't think he was being nosey. He supposed it wasn't his business. He was here to see Kady, not befriend her room-mate.

* * *

 **A/N: Thoughts?**


	2. Getting to Know You

**Getting to Know You**

* * *

The next morning AJ woke up after crying into Kady all night and telling her what had happened. She wasn't sad that things had finished, it was just how she had been treated that had got her down. To be cheated on was something she felt was her fault. What had she done to push him away? She thought things were going good for them so far.

Kady, although feeling bad, had to get up and get changed. She was going out with Connor and Punk, and she figured maybe AJ needed some time to herself. Her heart ached for her friend, she knew she had trouble letting people in as it was, so to have this done to her was awful. She only wished she could have stayed home with her all day and hugged her tightly.

"Is AJ alright? She was upset last night." Punk said to Kady in the kitchen the next morning, watching Kady pour herself a coffee.

"Her boyfriend has been cheating on her." Kady said as Punk cringed, "She walked in on him with someone else last night." She told him as Punk just nodded.

"Damn, I'd like to see the girl this guy had cheated on her with." Punk said. He personally thought AJ was beautiful, to hear she had been cheated on confused him.

"Yeah, she's stunning, Phil. But she has trouble letting people in. She barely even has sex with guys." Kady said.

"And? What's the problem with that?" Punk asked.

"Well obviously her boyfriend was getting impatient."

"Well. His loss." Punk shrugged, "It's weird… considering the job she works." Punk said as Kady laughed.

"We aren't all whores. When will you get that out your mind?" She shoved him playfully as Connor walked into the kitchen.

"So where are you taking us today?" Connor asked his sister with a smile.

"Well I was thinking the movies and then some food." She smiled.

"Actually-" Punk interrupted, "I think I'm gonna stay here. You two should catch up, I might catch up with you both later on."

"You should come." Connor frowned.

"Nah, you two go ahead. I'll just laze around here." He said, "That is… if it's ok with you and your friend?" Punk asked Kady who smiled.

"Yeah, it's fine. As long as you promise to meet us later." She said as Punk nodded, "Maybe check in on AJ if she hasn't came out the room in the next hour or so." She said as Punk just nodded.

"What's wrong with her?" Connor asked as Kady rolled her eyes.

"I'll tell you on the way to the movies. C'mon." She shoved her brother as they left the apartment, meanwhile just as they left, AJ crept out of Kady's room and into the kitchen, shocked to see Punk standing there.

"I thought you were going out." AJ said innocently, really wishing he had left with them. She thought she was going to have her opportunity to laze on the couch and sulk feeling sorry for herself.

"No, I thought I'd stay here and let them catch up. I hope you don't mind. I can go out and find myself something to do if you want your space-"

"Don't be silly." AJ smiled, "I'll just get some food and head back to bed." She laughed a little as he watched her. He didn't understand how a woman as beautiful as her had been cheated on. She was gorgeous. He wasn't much into dating, but he was never a guy to turn down a willing girl. The sex part was normally the only thing he was ever interested in, but this girl was sweet and genuine. She didn't deserve to be crying.

"You don't have to hide away in there all day. I don't bite." He laughed a little, "You shouldn't be upset over a guy." He said, watching her switch on the kettle.

"Well I am upset. You wouldn't understand. You're a man." She said.

"Maybe not. But what I do understand is you probably deserved better than the guy you were seeing anyway." Punk said, "Look at it as an easy escape." He said.

"I thought we were getting along well." AJ shrugged, "I don't know what I done wrong." She admitted.

"Nothing. Guys are just jerks sometimes. Don't know what they have until they fuck it up and it's gone." He said as AJ just looked across at him. She'd never noticed it until now, but he was a very handsome man. A little scruffy, but she liked that. She was really digging the slicked hair and the beard, not to mention he really seemed like a nice guy.

"Well I'm trying to get over it. Before I have to go back to work tomorrow night anyway. Can't do a show when I look like this." She pointed to herself as he laughed.

"You don't look that bad." He said as she just laughed.

"I don't look that good either." She said, dumping the milk back in the fridge.

"So you do the exact same as Kady?" Punk asked as AJ shook her head.

"No. I'm a little more reserved than she is." She smirked a little, "I'm a fire breather. With snakes." She said as he raised his eyebrows, "Burlesque." She said as he nodded.

"So you strip?" Punk said as she tilted her head a little, not sure how to reply.

"Well yeah, but… not in a promiscuous way. I'm not stripping for money or to turn guys on." She shook her head, "I do it as part of my act. My job. It's a show." She said, "But yes, I do strip." She said as he just nodded, "I'm assuming you do the same for your job." She smirked as he laughed.

"Only on the weekends." He said as she giggled. She found him funny. He was very easy to talk to and very laid back, a part of her was actually glad he had stayed behind and let Kady and Connor go out on their own, "I'm an engineer."

"Oh, good with your hands are you?" She smiled as he nodded.

"I am indeed." Punk said, "Nothing exciting really." He admitted, "I assume your job has it's advantages and disadvantages." He said as she nodded.

"Mostly disadvantages." She laughed a little, "People judge, before even getting to know me, they hear my title and they automatically think whore, slut, cheap… it used to annoy me but now I just let it slide by me." She said, "I know what I'm worth and I know my job doesn't define who I am." She said as he smiled.

"Good for you." He said genuinely. He admired how confident and bold she was. He wasn't judging her because of her job. In fact, he was judging her in spite of her job. He didn't think it mattered. Like she said, it wasn't like she worked in strip clubs giving lap dances. She worked in actual production, the circus, doing an act for entertainment. It just so happened stripping came along with it.

"So how long have you known Kady's brother?" AJ asked curiously. She was actually enjoying this conversation with Punk. At first when she saw him in the kitchen she was scared of what he might say, but he was turning out to be really friendly.

"I've known them both since high school. I was in the same class as Connor. I pretty much lived at his and Kady's house. It was better than my own." He shrugged as AJ nodded slowly, "His mom treated me like her own, and I sometimes found myself there for weeks on end-" He paused, "And you never even asked for this much information." He said with embarrassment, scratching his neck awkwardly.

"Don't be stupid. I think it's great you're so close." AJ smiled, busying herself with making her toastie, "You must have been around Kady when she was only little then." She said as Punk nodded, laughing slightly.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "It's weird to see her… grown up. Especially with what she does for a living." Punk said, "She's always getting us to come to a show but I don't think I'd be comfortable." He admitted, "She's like a little sister to me. I know Connor definitely wouldn't go." He laughed.

"Kady is good." AJ said, "She's taught me a lot." She admitted.

"Yeah, well she was always really confident as a little girl." Punk laughed, "Why'd you get into your job anyway?" Punk asked curiously. He could sense a mutual respect for one another, and it was a pleasant conversation he was having with her.

"Well I was already a dancer, growing up as a little girl." She said, scooping her toastie onto a plate, "I figured I'd go to college… do something intelligent. First things first when I got here was I had to find a job. I worked in concessions at the theatre and venues. I got to know Kady and then things just spiralled." She shrugged, "I love what I do. My mom insists on telling every single member of my family that I'm a stripper for a living, and refuses to come out to see what I actually do, but I'm over it at this point." She shrugged.

"What good are mom's anyway?" He asked her as she smiled.

"No good." AJ said, "Not mine anyway." She said as he nodded, "I'm gonna go eat my toastie… if you don't mind." She said as he shook his head.

"Carry on." He said politely, letting her head off with her food and coffee, watching her leave the kitchen and into the living room.

He was surprised at how nice she actually was. He wasn't expecting it. She was easy to talk to and man was she beautiful. He couldn't stop thinking about how stupid her boyfriend had been to have cheated on her. She was drop dead gorgeous, but he could understand how her job probably played a part in it all, and most relationships she had in the past.

He headed back into the living room and sat down on the couch beside AJ. Not right beside but close enough, picking up more conversation with her as it flowed well.

* * *

Punk wound up turning down Kady and Connor later that night as he was enjoying spending time with AJ. They had a lot in common which was a shock to him. They both had brothers who they strongly disliked. They both enjoyed the same hobby's. They were just very suited and getting along very well.

"I wanted you to come out with us." Kady pushed Punk as she sat down beside him on the couch where he and AJ had spent the full day. He'd also told her not to let her ex boyfriend's antics get to her. He was a stupid dick for using her like such and she deserved better. She enjoyed listening to him give her advice.

"He was keeping me company." AJ smiled to Kady who just smirked.

"Phil isn't very good with relationships, AJ." Kady shook her head as Punk glared at her.

"Oh, he isn't interested in me." AJ laughed, standing up and collecting her plate from the coffee table, "But hey, there's another thing we have in common." She smiled to Punk, walking away to put her dishes in the kitchen whilst Kady smirked up at Punk.

"What?" Punk said.

"Do you like her? You've only been here five minutes." She laughed.

"She's a sweet girl." Punk shrugged, "We just have a lot in common, and I felt sorry for her after what her boyfriend done to her." He said.

"Well if it's just sex you're after she won't give you that either." Kady said.

"What makes you think I'm after anything? I just have a nice conversation with the girl. What's so bad about that? Why do you think I'm after something from her?"

"Because I know you." Kady sniggered, "You like sex." She said as Punk laughed.

"I'm only human." He shrugged innocently as she smiled.

"If you like her you should take her out."

"Chill. I was just being friendly today." He said, "Plus, she's just split up with her boyfriend, pretty horrifically." He said, "I don't need you setting me up." He nudged her.

"Well then I expect you to come out after the show tomorrow." She said, "I want to know what's going on with you." She said, "I haven't seen you in forever." She said.

"Nothing has gone on. Really." He told her.

"Yeah, Connor said things are still tough between you and your family." She said.

"Yeah, no change there." Punk shrugged, "I don't care though."

"Yeah you do." Kady said quietly, "Promise me, tomorrow you'll come out with Connor after the show?" She begged as he rolled his eyes.

"Oh, alright." Punk nodded, "I suppose so."

"Good." Kady smiled, "I'm going to bed now." She told him as he nodded with a smile, watching her walk away into her bedroom. Connor had already gone into his room, well technically it was AJ's room but his room for the weekend, so he began to settle down for the ngiht.

"Goodnight, Punk." AJ said as Punk turned his head, watching AJ cross from the kitchen into Kady's bedroom.

"Goodnight." Punk replied, watching her smirk and close the room door over.

He felt like it was wrong to be attracted to her, but he wasn't sure why. She'd had an instant impact on him. He couldn't get her smile out of his head. So perfect and angel like. He lay down on the couch, trying to get comfy, not being able to shift her from his head.

* * *

 **A/N: Won't be as simple as them meeting and getting together right away. Trust me ;) Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter! Keep them coming. Let me know what you think.**


	3. Not Worth It

**Not Worth It**

* * *

The next night AJ and Kady both had a show to go to and AJ had to brush aside what had happened at the weekend, and put on her best show face. The beauty of their job was they both enjoyed doing it and were both great at it. Yeah, it was revealing for the most part but they seen it more as an art than anything else. They weren't strippers at night clubs, they were party of a group, working for people's entertainment. It was hard for people to understand but they both just got on with it.

After the show, Kady was metting Connor and Punk at a bar, and was trying to get AJ to come with her. She sensed that her and Punk got on well, and even though Punk said he was making moves or swinging to her that way, it was clear they still got on well.

"I don't want to intrude on your night." AJ said to Kady as they left their dressing room, "I'll just go home and get an early night."

"No. I want you to come with me. The more you stay in alone, the more you're gonna think of Tom and I won't let you." Kady said, "Punk is nice, right?" She said.

"Yeah, he is. But I'm not interested." AJ said, "I'm finished with boys." She shook her head.

"So what? Now you're moving on to girls?" Kady raised her eyebrows.

"No. I'm just gonna stay single until I die." AJ said, "You know I always have trouble letting people in, and as soon as I let Tom in, look what happened." She said, "I'm not doing it to myself anymore." She said firmly.

"Ok, but you can still come out with us. You and Punk can still be good friends." She said as AJ thought about it. She did enjoy Punk's company yesterday, "C'mon, it's not like you'll see him again. They leave tomorrow." She reminded her.

"Oh, fine." AJ gave in, "Fine."

* * *

They arrived at a bar where Punk and Connor already were standing up at the bar. Connor had a beer whilst Punk stood with a soda, AJ had to question it immediately.

"So you're on driving duty?" She asked him, shuffling up on a bar stool, dumping her bag down and turning to him with a smile as he looked pleasantly surprised to see her.

"No, I just don't drink." Punk said, "Good show?" He asked politely whilst Connor and Kady spoke beside.

"Yeah, it wasn't too bad." She said, "Are you gonna order me a drink or am I gonna?" She asked him as he laughed.

"Is that your pick up line?" Punk chuckled a little.

"Yeah, and it works every time." She nodded as he smiled, turning around to the waitress behind the bar, "I'll have an orange juice." She said as Punk ordered himself another soda on top of an orange juice of AJ.

"So you don't drink either?" He turned back to her. He was glad she had come and sat next to him. He enjoyed being with her. He liked making her laugh and finding out things about her. He found her very interesting.

"Nah, I don't really get it." She shrugged, "I can have a great time without it." She said as Punk smiled, "Sad to be leaving tomorrow?" She asked him.

"A little." Punk said, "It's been good coming down here to see Kady, and I don't normally get weekends off." He admitted, "And obviously meeting you was a treat."

"It always is." AJ smiled. Her nature came around as very flirtatious but that was just the way she was. It had gotten her into a lot of trouble, and in situations she didn't want to be in, but she still continued to do it. She liked Punk. There was something about him that was different from other guys. For once, her job hadn't even crossed his mind it seemed like. It seemed like he didn't care if she was an actual stripper or she worked in McDonald's. He enjoyed talking to her. She hadn't met many men like that. Not to mention, he was pretty fit.

"So… the fire breathing. How do you do it?" Punk asked curiously, "Does it hurt?" He said as AJ laughed a little.

"It does if you don't know what you're doing." AJ said, "It's not that hard to pick up actually." She admitted, "Maybe I'll teach you."

"I'd burn myself, definitely." He said as she laughed, "And the snakes? What's that about? Don't they want to kill you?"

"No. They're so friendly." She smiled cutely, "I just got a baby python the other day, his name is Pipey. When he gets big enough I'll start using him." She said with a smile, "It's a sense of danger. You put dangerous and sexy together and you get a bunch of entertained people." She shrugged.

"You're crazy." He shook his head, "I wouldn't touch a snake for all the money in the world." He said truthfully.

"They're harmless." AJ defended.

"They really aren't." Punk argued.

"Well the ones I work with are." She said, "So you don't come into contact with any snakes or fire when you're engineering?" She asked, sipping on her juice as he just laughed.

"Fire, maybe. Snakes, not yet." He said. He'd never met a girl who could make him laugh and have such a flowing conversation with him. Normally it was all tragic and he'd just skip to the sex part to get what he wanted and then never call them again.

"You enjoyed your job?" She asked casually.

"It's alright. Keeps me going." He shrugged as she nodded, "Nothing exciting really."

"Fixing pipes and engines? Not exciting? What?" She smiled sarcastically.

"Very funny." He nodded.

"You got someone special in your life?" She asked curiously. She hoped it wasn't too forward, but she was curious. She'd be surprised if he didn't, but then worried as to why he was sitting here talking to her.

"No. Not that I know of or remember." He shrugged.

"Oh, so you're a player, are you?" She smirked, "You don't come across like that." She said with surprise.

"I'm not a player." He said, "I just don't really have time or interest for dating. I'm still young. What's the point?" He shrugged.

"You gonna wait until you're forty to get married and settle down?" She asked him as he nodded.

"That's the plan." He said, "I've always had trouble committing to things. Maybe when I'm older and maturer it'll be easier." He shrugged as she laughed a little.

"You're funny." She giggled, looking at him with a smile. He had an aura and a presence that she really loved. She was a little sad actually that he was leaving tomorrow with Connor.

"I'm glad you think so." Punk said, "So what's the deal with you coming to Chicago? Kady told me you aren't from here." He said.

"I'm from New Jersey." She told him, "My family still live there. I moved here for college and I was swayed in a different direction when I came across Burlesque." She shrugged, "It appealed more to me than assignments and A levels." She said.

"I appreciate someone who does what they want to do." He admitted, "It's a brave thing, especially with a business like that." He said as she frowned.

"A business like what?" She asked him as he looked across at her, noticing her features change.

"Just… you know, the things you do obviously take a lot of courage." He shrugged as she nodded a looked down.

"Not really." She admitted, "Yeah, at first. But I feel more comfortable up there doing what I'm doing than I do when I'm with a guy, alone." She said, "Do you find that weird?" She asked.

"Not really." Punk admitted, "Kady said you don't normally bother with guys. What was different about this ex boyfriend of yours?" He asked curiously.

"Nothing really. He was just nice to me. Didn't treat me in regards to my job, but who I was as a person." She said, "I thought he was really into me, and I was really into him." She said, "It takes me a while to open up to guys. Takes me a while to have sex with them… even kiss them." She shrugged.

"Why?" Punk asked.

"What's my job centred around?" She asked him.

"Um… porn?" He smirked as she laughed.

"No." She shook her head with a small smile. She could see he was joking. He had a great laugh and smile, "It's always a revealing environment, so when I'm in a relationship, I hold back, everything is a big deal to me, kissing, cuddling, sex, even holding hands." She said, "So it's hard to find a guy who is patient with me, and he was." She shrugged, "Obviously not patient enough." She frowned.

"Well fuck him." Punk shrugged, "Doesn't deserve you anyway." He said as she smiled.

"What is wrong with you?" She asked as he turned to her with confusion, "Why don't you have a girlfriend? You're sweet." She said.

"I'm sweet? Thanks." He laughed, "You know why, I don't have time for dating."

"You could get someone really hot."

"Is this you complimenting me?" He asked as she laughed.

"Maybe." She smiled, "I'm serious though, you could get a really nice girl." She said.

"What if I don't want a nice girl?" He asked her.

"C'mon. You don't want a nice girl to bring home to mom and dad?" She asked as he shook his head.

"Nope." Punk said, "If I find a nice girl, the last thing I'll be doing is introducing her to my parents." He said.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that." She said, feeling bad. He had told her very briefly that he didn't get on with his parents yesterday, "Sorry." She apologised.

"Don't be." Punk brushed it off, turning to her and smiling as she smiled back. He made her tummy feel weird. She didn't like feeling like this. She liked him as a friend, a friend she could talk to, nothing more. He was leaving tomorrow anyway.

* * *

They all got home later on and all settled down for bed for the night. AJ was residing in beside Kady again and was talking to her about Punk.

"I mean… why doesn't he have a girlfriend? He's hot, kind, funny." She shook her head with confusion.

"He likes to mess around. Doesn't really like dating." She said, "In fact, I don't even think he's taken a girl on a date before." Kady admitted coming to think of it, "I used to have a crush on him when I was a little girl." She told AJ quietly who chuckled, "He had long blonde hair. Had a lip ring. Used to wear bandanas." She said, "And like you said, he was a nice guy." Kady shrugged.

"Do you still have a crush on him?" AJ asked.

"Oh, no. Once he started becoming part of my family, I guess… he was more becoming my big brother than anything else." Kady said, "He has it rough with his family. They treat him like he's invisible. His mom is a complete pyscho, his brother is just… an asshole, and his dad is ok, as long as he isn't drunk." Kady said.

"I don't get parents who favourite one child over the other. My parents do the same with my brother." She said.

"My mom always treated me and Connor equally." She said, "And that was her raising us alone." She said.

"Did he live with you guys?" AJ asked. They were like gossiping teenage girls at each others house for a sleepover, both curled in bed facing one another.

"Yeah, most of the time he'd wound up on our couch. It got so frequent my mom started buying him clothes and set up our spare bedroom to be his. He really appreciated it." She said.

"I just don't understand why he doesn't have a girlfriend." AJ shook her head.

"Because I told you, he likes to mess around. He's not committed to anything." She said.

"But he doesn't seem like that type of person." AJ said.

"Why are you so interested anyway?" Kady asked with a smirk, "You like him, don't you?" She said.

"I'm not sure. I don't see the point in thinking about it since he's leaving tomorrow. He's a nice guy, and he's been really sweet to me." She shrugged, "And he's really hot, Kady." She rolled on her back and sighed, "I hate feeling like this."

"You've known him for two days." Kady laughed a little.

"I know and that's enough for me to know I like him." AJ said, "You just know it takes a while for me to trust people and let them in." She said as Kady nodded.

"Well take it from me, he's probably not worth your time. You're looking for a guy who'll be patient with you and support you and commit to you. He isn't that." Kady said truthfully as AJ turned to her sadly, "They're leaving in the morning, just forget about him." She shrugged as AJ sighed, curling back on her side and attempting to close her eyes. She just couldn't stop thinking about him.

* * *

 **A/N: How will it all play out when Punk and Connor go back home? REVIEW and let me know what you think. Thanks for the reviews, keep them all coming.**


	4. Lost Power

**Lost Power**

* * *

The next morning Punk and Connor were getting set to leave the apartment. Although having only spent the weekend there, AJ was surprisingly going to miss them. It was always just her and Kady in the apartment and it had been nice to have them around. She was also glad Punk was there to pick up the pieces of her break up with her ex. He was so sweet and she wouldn't forget him being there to talk. A part of her wanted to see him again, but the other part was just gonna let it go and forget about it.

"Back to normality." Connor said, walking through the door to his and Punk's apartment, "At least there's not the threat of a snake killing me in the middle of the night." He dumped his travel bag on the couch.

"You think Kady would ever come up here? It's only a two hour drive." He said.

"She might, if she had a car." Connor grinned, "Plus, you know how busy she is."

"I know." Punk said, "I can't stop thinking about AJ." He admitted, slouching on the couch as Connor turned to him and laughed a little.

"What is so different about her?" Connor said. He found it strange and funny that Punk had taken such a quick liking to his sister's friend. He thought AJ was stunning also, but not stunning enough to be thinking about her 24/7.

"You never got a chance to talk to her much. She's so real, man. And she isn't all… you know, make-up and hair. She's actually a bit of a nerd." He admitted, "And she's funny. I've never met a girl that's made me laugh before. And I know I never have to keep on making the effort. Our conversation was flowing really well." He said, "I don't know, I've just never connected with a girl like that." He shrugged.

"It was only a weekend." Connor said, "Tomorrow you'll have forgotten about her, trust me." He grinned.

"Nah, I don't think so." Punk admitted, "Didn't you think she was hot?" Punk asked him truthfully.

"She had a good set of legs. Yeah, I mean she wasn't too bad." He said as Punk just grunted, "Look, if you're so wound up about it, text Kady and ask for her number."

"What's the point? She's always working, and we live far away." He said.

"Well I don't know. I just don't want a stroppy teenager sulking around all the time." He said, "Maybe you could befriend her in time for taking her to thanksgiving at your parents' house." He winked as Punk rolled his eyes.

"No thanks. I'm not even going, never mind bringing someone with me." He said.

"Why not? You should go. Fuck your brother and your mom, your dad wants you there. He isn't all bad."

"What am I gonna do? Sit beside my dad all night holding his hand?" Punk scoffed, "I'm not going."

"Well, it's your decision." Connor shrugged, "Are you coming to the gym?" He asked as Punk just nodded and stood up, heading on out to the gym.

* * *

Meanwhile, AJ was in the middle of putting fresh sheets on her bed that Connor had been sleeping in. She loved fresh bedding anyway and couldn't wait to have her room back. Whilst she was tidying around, she noticed a sweatshirt lying on the floor, hiding a little under the bed. She only assumed it was Connor's.

"Hey, Kady." AJ walked out of her room with the shirt in her hand, looking over at her friend lying on the couch, "I think your brother left this." She said.

"Oh, he's such an idiot." Kady rolled her eyes, "I'll text him, but he'll probably tell me to throw it in the trash. He isn't gonna drive all the way back up here." She said.

"I could drive down and give it to him."

"What? Just so you can see Punk?" Kady smirked.

"No." AJ gasped, "So I can be a nice person and give your brother his sweatshirt back." AJ said, "I don't mind. I never use my car anyway."

"All the more reason for me to worry about you. You're a terrible drive, AJ." Kady said.

"Am not." AJ defended, "Text him and tell him I'll drive up tonight. I'll hand it to him and be on my way. It's no problem." AJ shrugged as Kady just grinned and reached for her phone, "Stop it, I have no intentions of seeing Punk." She said.

* * *

"Connor left this." AJ smiled, passing the sweatshirt to Punk, standing at the apartment door, dripping wet from the rain that she had drove up in, watching him wave her in quickly and shut the door behind her.

"You want a towel?" Punk asked with laughter. He was shocked at how excited he was to see her standing there at the door, "Connor is working a night shift tonight." He said.

"Kady never said." AJ said with a grunt, knowing that Kady was planning this all along, "I shouldn't stay long. If I want to be back home at a reasonable time." She said, "I just wanted him to get that."

"At least wait until the rain goes off." Punk said as AJ just nodded and smiled.

"This is a nice place you have." She said, "You decorated it yourself?" She asked as she hadn't even noticed him taking her jacket off and hanging it over by the radiator, as well as fetching a towel from the bathroom for her to dry herself off in.

"Most of it we done ourselves." Punk nodded, "I forgot to tell you I was a secret home decorator." He said as she grinned, following him into the living room.

"It must have slipped your mind when you were telling me how manly engineering is." She said, sitting down on the couch, drying her wet hair with the towel as he watched, almost drooling, mentally kicking himself for being so caught up in her.

"It is manly." He defended as she just laughed.

"C'mon, I can fix a few pipes and radiators." She said, "Where is the challenge?"

"Where is the challenge in breathing fire?" He asked as she just tilted her head, "Fine, you win." He put his hands up as she smiled, sitting the towel over and sitting back on the couch, "No show tonight?"

"No." AJ shook her head, "Me and Kade do every second night, it works out good like that for us, having a break every second night, means we can catch up on sleep and rest. Believe it or not, all that stripping takes it out on you."

"I bet." Punk nodded. The words were on the tip of his tongue… _Stay. The rain is really heavy. I'm going to order chinese food. I want to talk some more with you,_ "Just before you came I was about to order some Chinese food." He said, not believing he had actually went with his intentioned conscious, "Have you ate?"

"No." AJ said, "But I probably shouldn't stay here..." She turned her head to the window where the rain still battered down, "I'm a horrible driver in normal conditions, maybe it's best I wait until it goes off." She admitted, turning to him with a smile as he returned the smile.

* * *

A bunch of chinese food, blankets and candles were set up around an hour later, and not because Punk wanted to impress her, but because the power had suddenly gone out and he had to make some sort of light and heat for them. Luckily enough they ordered their food just before the power had gone out.

"So did you have these candles for your normal night time bath's or do you like a little atmosphere during sex?" She asked, sitting crossed legged on the couch across from him with a blanket over her, tucking into her Chinese food. She hadn't intended to stay long like this, but mother nature thought otherwise.

"Do I look like the type to take a bath?" He asked her, "No, they're actually here for power reasons. We had some problems last year with our building with power, so we got a shit load of candles just to be on the safe side." He said as AJ nodded.

"You like living here?" She asked as he nodded.

"It's alright." He said, "Nothing too exciting, I suppose. The only disadvantage is my parents live just a few blocks down." He groaned.

"You really don't get on with them, huh?" She asked as he shook his head.

"My dad isn't bad. He just gets a little mouthy when he's had a drink. But who doesn't? My mom and brother are just assholes." He shrugged, "He got everything. The car when he was sixteen, the opportunity for college, the attention, the better presents… they just favoured him over me." He shrugged.

"I know how it feels. My parents done the same with my brother." She said, "And my mom always asks me when I question it… is that why you became a stripper, April? Do you want to hurt us?" She mimicked, "She won't give my job a chance."

"I don't imagine many people do." Punk said.

"What did you think about Kady when she told you she was doing burlesque and stripping?" She asked curiously, "She was only eighteen when she started." AJ said.

"I was a little taken back. I'd watched her since she was just a little girl playing with coloring in books. It was weird, but my opinions of her as a person never changed." He shrugged, "She explained it really well to us and her mom, said that it wasn't stripping for men in a club, looking for pennies and dollars. It was a show and production for people's entertainment." He said, "The only thing I had a problem with was guys thinking they could get with her just because she took her clothes off." He said.

"Normally they don't get a chance. That's why it's so different from actual stripping. We have our own dressing rooms, we have breaks, there is security, and when we leave no one is around to try and jump for us." She said, "Well not usually."

"I can imagine a lot of guys thinking they can just pick you up."

"Yeah. I've raised my hand a few times to a lot of guys who think they can just… put their hands on you." She said, "I'm so not that type of person. I don't enjoy being groped or leered on. When I've finished my show my mission is to just get home and go to bed." She said, "Pretty boring, I know." She shrugged nervously.

"Nah, you respect yourself." Punk said, "That's a good thing." He smiled to her, "You know I'm not judging you for what you do." He told her as she nodded. She knew very well that he wasn't judging her, "Like I said, it's your job, it's the person you are that should matter to those you get close to." He said as she smiled.

"Where did you learn your manners from if you weren't raised right by your parents?" She asked curiously. He was so sweet and she hated how he was making her feel, only because she knew it would get her in an awkward situation.

"Kady and Connor's mom." Punk admitted, "I was a mouthy little brat before she put me in line. Had me trained to take my elbows off the table and everything." He said as AJ laughed. Her laugh was precious and he just loved seeing her smile. She was drop dead gorgeous, in all aspects.

"Do you ever see yourself getting with someone, getting married or having a family?" She asked curiously as he shrugged.

"I don't ever give it much thought. Maybe if I find the right person I might start thinking about it, but right now…. I couldn't care less." He told her, "What about you?" He asked her.

"Yeah, I'd like to be a mom one day, and have a nice man to take care of me." She nodded, "Once I've put aside my show girl career." She said as he smiled.

"Then maybe your parents will start talking to you more?" He smirked as she laughed.

"Yeah, maybe." AJ giggled, sitting over her box of Chinese noddles on the coffee table whilst shuffling closer to him, "So what's with all these tattoo's?" She asked, "I like the thirteen and the spider web." She smiled, examining them all.

"I got a full chest piece too." He told her as she groaned to herself without him hearing, "I just like the art, and they all have stories." He said, "You have any?"

"No." AJ said, "But I really want one. Something meaningful, but hidden."

"Why hidden?" Punk shook his head, "Defeats the purpose a little, does it not?"

"Well… just so the only people seeing it are people I trust. People I trust enough to be open with." She looked in his eyes as he gulped and nodded. He didn't understand what she meant at first but now he did and he was finding it hard for her to be so close and not do anything about it.

"What kind would you get?" He asked curiously.

"I don't know. I don't really like the idea of a quote or anything like that. More like an image. Maybe an animal."

"You could get a snake." Punk smiled as she laughed.

"And what would that represent? Evil and wickedness?" She laughed a little.

"Snakes are smart." Punk shrugged, "And clearly a dear best friend to you."

"Are you mocking me?" She questioned curiously.

"Not at all." He smiled as she laughed. He was very cute sometimes, like a little puppy dog, but then other times she just wanted to climb on top of him and sink her nails into him to tame him. She'd never felt so close to someone in such a short amount of time.

She was so close to him now after examining his tattoos that it was almost impossible not to seal their night, leaning into him as he leaned in too, both of them getting distracted when the lights came back on and lit up the dim apartment, not to mention it had stopped raining.

"And God said let there be light." He smirked as she laughed and shuffled away, standing up and stretching, trying to pretend that she wasn't extremely mad she never got to kiss him.

"So you're a holy man?" She asked curiously.

"Absolutely not." He sniggered, "My parents are. Go to church every Sunday, but I don't have time for any of it." He said truthfully.

"Me neither." AJ agreed, "Man, I can't believe it's 12am, I really should go." She told him as he nodded, standing up and walking her out to the door, "Thanks for letting me in and saving me from the rain." She smiled, "I would have most definitely crashed my car no doubt if I drove in it." She said as he laughed.

"I do try my best." He nodded, handing her her now dry jacket that she put on, "Listen, if you ever want to meet up again-"

"I'll call you." AJ said quickly, "Kade has your number so I'll get it from her." She told him casually as he just nodded, not sure if she was being sincere but just going along with it anyway.

"Ok." He said, "Drive safe, yeah?" He said.

"Can't promise anything." She laughed, heading out of the apartment as Punk watched her disappear down the stairs. As if he didn't already like the girl enough, she had to come and spend a few hours intriguing and capturing him in even more. He really was finding himself in a confusing situation. She was going in for the kiss, but then seemed a little disheartened when he asked to see her again, in his own words. He was confused, but not confused over how much he was beginning to like her.

* * *

 **A/N: What's gonna happen? What do you guys think? Review and let me know.**


	5. Date

**Date**

* * *

AJ got home around 2am, creeping into her apartment after driving back from Punk and Connor's place, trying her best to be as quiet as she could, but realising that Kady was still up and lying on the couch, smiling over to her.

"Just handed the sweater to him, did you?" Kady smiled as AJ rolled her eyes.

"The power went out actually, and the weather was too bad to drive in, so I waited in the apartment." AJ told her, "Why are you still up? We have a show tomorrow night." She said, sitting down beside Kady who yawned.

"Well I wanted you to tell me what happened." She smiled.

"Nothing happened." AJ laughed, "The power went out, he lit candles and gave me a blanket, we ordered food and we talked for a bit." She shrugged.

"Why are you being so defensive? I know you like him." Kady said, "He's a good guy, I'm just worried he isn't as interested in you as you are with him." She said as AJ just shrugged.

"Well then why is he bothering so much with me?" AJ said, "If he wasn't interested he would have took the sweater and let me go right away." She said, "We nearly kissed." She said as Kady laughed and stood up, "Why are you laughing?" AJ frowned.

"He's taking advantage of you. You've just broken up with your boyfriend. No… you've just been cheated on by your boyfriend. He's obviously gonna seize his opportunity." She said.

"So you're saying it's impossible for him to actually like me for me? He's just looking to use me?" AJ stood up as Kady nodded.

"Exactly." Kady said, "I love him with all my heart, like a brother. But he doesn't stick around for women." She said.

"He can change." AJ shrugged.

"For a stripper who lives with her friend and is emotionally unstable?" Kady raised her eyebrows as AJ frowned.

"I'm not a stripper. He knows that." AJ folded her arms, "I want his number." She said firmly.

"No way." Kady laughed, shaking her head.

"Give me his number, Kady. I'm big enough to make these decisions by myself. If he hurts me then he hurts me, but right now he is giving me the most attention any boy has ever given me in my life, and he's interested in me. Not my job." She said, "Just give me his number." She said angrily as Kady huffed and grabbed her phone, tossing it to AJ.

"He's under Phil Brooks." Kady said, "I'll be waiting to say I told you so. That's all I'm gonna say." She put her hands up, "Goodnight." She walked away and into her bedroom as AJ collapsed down on the couch, looking at Punk's number on Kady's phone, so many thoughts going through her head.

Maybe he was a bit of a player, but that didn't change the fact she liked him, and they did have a connection, she could feel it. They were both legitimately interested in one another. She wasn't going to listen to Kady this time. It was time to put herself out there. She wanted to see Punk again and she was sure he wanted to see her.

* * *

"I don't know, man. Is it really worth all that travelling up and down?" Connor asked Punk the next morning after he had told him about last night and that he had received a text from AJ this morning asking to see him again.

"Yeah. Very worth it." Punk nodded, "I really like her." Punk shrugged, "She's different."

"And you're completely ok with what she does for a living?" Connor raised his eyebrows, sitting across from Punk at the kitchen table.

"I don't care about that." Punk shrugged, "I like her. Not her job."

"I don't know… Kady says she's a little reserved. She waits around and then gets attached really easily." Connor said, "Seems like the crazy type."

"I like crazy chicks."

"You just say that… no you don't." Connor laughed, "I mean this chick seems like the type to check your phone and keep a count check on the amount of condoms that are being used." He said, "You sure you really want to do this?"

"She's a nice girl. You haven't gotten to talk to her like I have." Punk shook his head, "And incase you never noticed, her boyfriend had just cheated on her, so yeah… maybe she gave off a little bit of an unstable, emotional vibe." Punk said, "Give the girl a break."

"There's nothing wrong with her… I liked her, she was sweet, quite funny actually." Connor admitted, "Just don't know if you'll have the patient to wait around, and you aren't really the… dating type are you?"

"No, I'm not. But this girl makes me want to be." He said, "I don't know… I just keep wanting to see her." He said.

"Well go for it, man." Connor nodded, "Just try not mess her around… Kady will get pissed and then take it out on me." He said.

"I'm not gonna mess her around." Punk promised, "What should I say to her? Should I take her out?" Punk asked curiously, looking at the text from AJ he had got, "Says she has a show tonight so it'll have to be tomorrow."

"Just take her out for dinner or something." Connor shrugged.

"How do I know what she likes?" Punk asked, "Isn't it a little cliché?" He asked.

"Well I don't know. Think of something today. C'mon, we're gonna be late." He told him as they both got ready to leave for work.

* * *

That night, AJ and Kady had a show, and after it when they were taking their make-up off, AJ seen her phone light up on the table beside her make-up.

"So you got his number then?" Kady asked, brushing her hair beside AJ who nodded and looked at the text, smiling to herself at the request of a date.

"He's asked me out on a date." She smiled to herself, feeling herself getting all child like and embarassed.

"Let me see." Kady snatched the phone from her and seen the text, "Well that's a first." She handed the phone back to AJ, "Must be really interested if he's willing to travel two hours down and two hours back." She said.

"Well I tried to tell you last night that we got along really well, and I think… I do think he likes me." She shrugged, "Otherwise why would he bother so much if he was just in it for the sex? And he knows that I don't just give in so easily." She said as Kady nodded.

"I know, I hope you don't think I'm not being supportive." She said as AJ raised her eyebrows, "No, I'm happy for you. I just want you to be careful. I know he's a good man and he'll take care of you and look after you, but I don't want him to hurt you." She said, "You've just finished with Tom, don't just launch yourself at him to make yourself feel better."

"I'm not. I actually like him, and he's really nice to me." She said, "We get along really we, and we have so much in common it's unreal." She said, "If it doesn't work out then it doesn't work out but… he's the first guy in a long time that has made me feel excited." She said as Kady just smiled.

"Well I'm happy for you." Kady nodded, "We can go out tomorrow and get you something to wear, get your hair done-"

"Really? Do I have to?" AJ huffed as Kady laughed.

"Yes. You have to look good." She smiled, "Plus you know how much I love to shop."

"I know." AJ laughed, turning her attention back to her phone and replying to Punk, accepting his date.

* * *

The next night after spending hours trying to find something wear, AJ was ready for her date with Punk. She'd gone with a simple red dress and cardigan. She had a light spot of make-up on, nothing compared to the amount she put on for her shows, and her hair was straightened, courtesy of Kady.

He was a little late, but she didn't mind. She felt a little out of place when he showed up in a pair of jeans and a casual t-shirt, but after the way he looked at her and complimented her, she didn't regret dressing up.

"So where are we going?" She turned to him in the passengers side of his car as he smirked.

"That's for me to know and you to find out." He smiled as she sat frustratedly but with excitement. Normally in previous relationships she'd just be taken for dinner, but he seemed to be driving away from the main strip of restaurants and bars, and heading down to the beach front.

"Are we going to the beach?" She grinned, turning to him as he just smiled silently.

He parked the car and they got out. He packed a bag with some food and also a blanket for them to sit on. She was impressed by his effort.

"I don't normally do this kind of stuff." He told her, shaking the blanket out after they found a spot on the beach.

"Well you're doing good for your first time." She smiled, "At least the weather is dry." She said.

"That's Chicago for you." Punk laughed a little, sitting down next to her as she got herself a drink, "You look… great."

"You've said." AJ blushed, "Do you not dress up?" She asked.

"Not unless someone is getting married or has died." He shrugged.

"Nice." AJ laughed softly, "Kady is a little sceptical about us… going out." She said, "She thinks you're just gonna use me because I've just broken up with my ex." She said as Punk laughed.

"Well that's Kady for you." Punk shrugged.

"She got so funny with me when I said I wanted to text you. I don't know why it was such a big deal for her." She said as Punk just looked down, "What?" She said as he looked up at her.

"I'm honest with everyone, and I'm not gonna treat you any different." He said, "Me and Kady sort of… we-"

"You dated?" AJ gasped.

"No." Punk said immediately, "God, no. It was just sex. Just… sex." He said, "Connor doesn't know so I trust you'll not say anything." He said, "It was a long time ago. It was her first time and she said she only trusted me." He shrugged, "I regretted it right away, it felt wrong and weird and just..." He shook his head trying to get the images out of his head, "It wasn't one of my proudest moments, but it meant nothing." He said.

"And you tell me she's like a little sister?" AJ raised her eyebrows.

"That's why it was so weird." Punk shook his head, "I just thought you should know… maybe that's why she is acting all funny." He said.

"Maybe." AJ said, "I guess it's in the past, no point in getting worked over it." She shrugged, "I am really glad you asked me out on this date." She said truthfully. She wasn't put off by what he had just told her, it was a little weird in her opinion, but it seemed like it was just a friend helping out a friend type situation, and it was in the past. She had no reason to care about it.

"Me too." Punk smiled, "And I'm not just using you… if that's what you think. I actually do like you and… I don't know, I've never connected with a girl so well before." He admitted to her.

"I know what you mean… I think we just have so much in common." She said, "With our families and backgrounds. Even our lifestyles." She said.

"Yes, I do enjoy stripping." He smirked as she rolled her eyes, "Have you had any sort of… jealousy problems with boys in the past?" He asked curiously.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Well I know it'd be hard for me to know you're up there stripping in front of guys drooling all over the place."

"You'd get used to it." She shrugged casually, "Those guys get a few minutes to see me up there, the guy I'm with gets me like that whenever he wants." She smiled as his eyes lit up unnoticed.

"Oh, really?" He asked with a smirk as she laughed.

"Really." She nodded, "But I don't think you'll last." She smiled.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I like to wait." She said, "I don't think you have the patience in you."

"For you… I'll wait." He said as she smiled across at him. She did get the impression he'd wait and she only hoped her instincts and his promises were kept. It wasn't because she wanted to torture the poor guy, she just had a thing with waiting around for the right moment, even if it meant weeks.

"So thanksgiving is soon, are you going to your parents?" She asked him curiously once their intense eye locking stare ended.

"Not decided yet." He said, eating the chips he had brought, "What are you doing?"

"Me and Kady normally don't do anything." She admitted, "But I think this time Kady is going to her mom's with Scott. I assumed you'd go but then she told me you were maybe going to your parents." She said.

"I don't know what to do. I want to go just to prove my point, but then I can't really be bothered with it all." He admitted, "I'll only end up leaving an hour into dinner." He admitted.

"Well if it makes you feel any better I'll be at home alone with take out and rotten TV shows." She said.

"That sounds much better than going to my parent's house." He said.

"Why don't you just cut them off." AJ shrugged, "You seem to really dislike them. Show them what they'll be missing out on if they keep on carrying on like this."

"I care too much." Punk said, "I pretend I don't care at all. But they're still my family. My dad really wants me to go. He's been sober for almost eight years now and I get on with him fine. I can have a pleasant conversation with him on the street and be on my way. But it's my mom and brother." He shook his head, "I don't know who is worse."

"Why don't I come with you?" She smiled as he looked up at her, "I'd love to hear what they think of you bringing home a burlesque performer." She grinned as he laughed.

"My mom would have a field day with it. You probably shouldn't." He said as she just shrugged.

"I don't mind. If it makes you look less like a loser." She smirked as he laughed. He loved her sense of humour very much, and the sparkle in her eyes from the moonlight was making him feel all sorts of ways.

"I don't know. I thought you liked waiting… Introducing you to my family is a big deal." He said as she shrugged.

"So what… it's just some dinner and conversation." She said as he laughed.

"Well… if that's what you really want."

"Only if you want me to come. If you don't want me there I won't go." She said. Truth was, she wanted to go to prove to his mother, who seemed like a right boot, that her son was wonderful and was doing perfectly fine on his own, same went for his brother too.

"Why not." Punk nodded, "I just hope you realise what you've gotten yourself into." He said as she just smiled.

"It'll be fun." She nodded, "But for Christmas you're coming to my parents." She said as he just laughed.

"Alright, slow down." He said as she just smiled to herself.

"Here's a question for you… do you believe there is a right person out there for everybody? Do you believe in soul mates?" She wondered.

"Nah. I mean… yeah, I think there are people out there suited for one another, but the whole soulmates thing… that there is one right person for every single person in the world. Bullshit." He shook his head.

"Charming." AJ nodded, "I do." She smiled as he watched her look out to the dark ocean. She was beautiful and he just wanted nothing more than to kiss her and hold her, but he respected her wishes in waiting. Any other girl it would have bothered him, but with her, he didn't mind the wait because doing this was enough to make him feel good. Just looking at her, sharing a night with her, having conversation with her. He'd never met a girl like her.

"Have you ever been in a really serious relationship?" He asked curiously as she turned back around to him.

"No." She said, "They've all ended after a couple of months." She said, "It's like guys just get fed up of me. The excitement of sleeping with and dating a show girl is alive for the first few months and then they just get bored."

"Bored of you?" He said in disbelief, "I'd like to meet these guys." He said as she smiled.

"You probably wouldn't." She said.

"Do you have a type?" He asked curiously, wondering if he was the type of guy she would go for.

"I like a guy with facial hair." She nodded, "Dark hair. Nice eyes. Eyes are everything." She told him seriously, "And he has to be a nice person, I mean… nobody wants to date a jerk." She said, "What about you? What's your type?"

"I don't really have a type. I mean it's normally brunette's I go for if that answers your question any further." He shrugged.

"So really any girl who comes your way you're more than happy to get with?" She asked as he nodded, "I've never known anything like it." She admitted, "So what's different about me? Why are you promising to be patient with me?" She asked. She wondered why he had this reputation of a player, but was willing to wait about for her.

"You're different." He shrugged, "A good different." He said quickly, "I don't know… I've just never met someone I'm actually interested in before."

"So you're interested in me?" She smiled.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"I'm flattered. I really am." She smiled as he nodded.

"I'm glad." He said, "I'd like to take you out again soon. If that's alright?" He asked as she smiled.

"I'd like that." AJ nodded, leaning over and pressing a kiss on his cheek as he smiled, both of them engaging again, enjoying the rest of their date. She'd reeled him in and even if he did have to be patient, he was still going to enjoy spending time with her, and it looked like he'd even found himself a date to take home to his parents. He only hoped she'd be able to survive his family.

* * *

 **A/N: Was that a good idea for AJ to invite herself to his parent's house? More coming soon on their dating life. How long is AJ gonna make Punk wait? How will the travelling get in the way of their dates? All coming up. REVIEW and let me know what you think.**


	6. Flash Forward, Flash Back

**A/N** : **Hey guys. Due to lack of inspiration I guess, I'm gonna be swaying the story in a different direction. I feel like all stories start off with the repetitive first dates, first kisses, first interaction, and I want to fast forward a few years. Having said that, I will be doing flashbacks throughout the chapters. I felt like it was gonna become predictable what was gonna happen so I want to sway away from it. Hope you guys don't mind. Enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Flash Forward, Flash Back**

* * *

 _Five years later…_

"Ok, give mommy a kiss before she goes to work." AJ smiled, rushing over to her three year old son who sat in the living room in their home, letting his mother kiss his cheek whilst he kept his eyes on the TV. He was all set for bed, in his pyjamas and the kiss goodnight from his mom before she left for work was always the signal that he'd be going to bed soon.

"I don't want him up late, Phil." AJ announced as she walked into their kitchen, looking on at her husband standing cradling their newborn daughter, "Is it bad that I'm nervous?" She asked him whilst she looked around for her keys.

"No. You've been off work for a year. You felt the same going back after Harry. You'll be fine." Punk said, "Don't worry so much, come give me a kiss." He said as she smiled, shuffling over to him and pressing a kiss on his lips, looking down at their three month old baby girl sleeping peacefully, "Precious girl." She whispered, placing a kiss on her soft head, "I'm going to miss her."

"She'll miss you." Punk smiled, "You're sure I don't have to pick you up? You know it doesn't take much to put Harry in his booster seat in the car." He said.

"No… don't be stupid. I don't want you dragging them out in the cold. Plus, Kady is walking home with me." She said, "I'll be fine." She promised him, "I love you." She smiled.

"I love you too." Punk replied, watching as she left the kitchen and headed out do her first show after taking a year off to have their second child.

The way he felt about her back when he first lay his eyes on her five years ago, was the exact same way he still felt. Their love had only grown since their first date, and that love had grown into a marriage, their own home and two wonderful children. He supposed they done it backwards. They dated for two years in which the time Punk had moved in with AJ and Kady, two wonderful years, before she fell pregnant with their son, Harry. They then moved into a house not far from her old apartment, a bigger house. Then came their wedding and finally their second baby, Louisa, who was just three months old. It had been a whirlwind really, but he'd loved every part of it. It didn't take him long to figure out that AJ was the one for him and that one day he would marry her and have a home with her and children. He'd never forget that weekend he first met her.

He was still an engineer, only based in a different area now. Connor was now married and lived close by, whilst Kady still lived in her and AJ's old apartment, but with a long-term boyfriend. Both her and AJ still worked in the burlesque industry, and believe him, there had been an outrage of fights between him and his wife. He personally thought AJ should have left her career when they had their first child, but AJ wasn't having it. She wasn't going to let the fact she was a mother get in the way of her doing her job. So he let it go and supported her.

He knew his wife inside out, just like she knew him. They were very close and intimate… all the time pretty much. Once she let him in after two whole months of waiting, he could never get away from her between the sheets, and nothing had changed there. They'd done it all. The first dates, the weekends away, the promising each other, the vacations, the big fights, the little fights, the making up. Everything and anything you could imagine for a couple to go through, they'd gone through, and now they were just happy living their life.

"Ok, buddy. Time for bed." Punk smiled, walking into the living room with his daughter cradled into his chest, looking over at his son who sat sleepily on the couch, "Let's go brush your teeth and get you into bed." He announced to Harry who nodded, jumping off the couch and running ahead upstairs as Punk followed.

He hadn't realised how much he actually wanted children until he'd had them. At first he was petrified. He felt like he'd be clueless at being a parent, but he prided himself on being pretty good now.

"Daddy why is mommy working at night time? She should be in bed." Harry said as he wandered off into the bathroom, standing up on the little stool he had and grabbing his tooth brush whilst Punk supervised, still holding Louisa who was ready to be put down in her crib.

"She just has a different job, that's all." Punk told his son, "Remember and get the back ones." Punk said as Harry jabbed his brush to the back of his teeth, "Don't hurt yourself though." He laughed a little.

"Why don't you work at night time?" Harry asked the best he could whilst brushing his teeth.

"Because then who would look after you and your sister?" Punk asked him.

"Oh." Harry nodded, "When can we say Uncle Connor and Aunt Kady again?"

"You seen them yesterday." Punk laughed. Connor and Kady were very involved in the kids lives, not just because they were very close to him, but also because Kady was one of AJ's best friends and had been for a very long time. Harry had just got into the habit of calling them uncle and aunt.

"I want to see them again." Harry said firmly. He was a cute little thing and looked exactly like him. There was absolutely none of AJ's features on him, it was all him. The eyes, the hair, the mouth, the attitude. All him and he was very proud of that.

"Well it's thanksgiving next week. You'll see them then." Punk told him as he finished up brushing his teeth, wiping his mouth and putting his toothbrush back in the cup holder, walking out of the bathroom and into his bedroom, "I'll be in in a minute." He told his son, walking into his own bedroom that he shared with his wife, putting down his sleeping daughter in her crib, "There we go." He said quietly, "Goodnight, sweetheart." He smiled, pressing a kiss on her head.

It was a different feeling having a daughter to having a son. There was that sense of possessiveness, and the urge to always have his eye on her. Of course he kept his son safe too, but she just seemed so much more delicate and fragile. She was a beautiful little thing.

He made his way back into Harry's room where he was already passed out in his bed, "Well that was easy." Punk said quietly, tucking him into bed properly, "Goodnight, son." He smiled, pressing a kiss on Harry's head and switching off the night light on his bedside cabinet, leaving the room and shutting the door over, heading downstairs to have some quiet time to himself. Life was pretty awesome and had been for five straight years. Probably because he had the woman of his dreams, the woman he loved more than anything in the world, and he had a perfect life with her.

* * *

Later that night, after Punk had caved into bed and passed out on top of the covers, he heard his wife come through the door, dumping her bag down and smothering him with hugs and kisses, not caring if she was waking him up.

"Hey." Punk said softly, opening his eyes as he felt his wife's lips pucker against his. He'd been woken up in worse ways.

"Hi." AJ smiled, pulling back and walking around their double bed to get in beside him. She was exhausted but was so glad to be back doing her thing again.

"Good show?" He asked with a smile as she nodded, sliding in beside him as he turned on his side to face her.

"It was so good. Pipey done great." She smiled.

"That thing better be locked up downstairs." Punk said sternly as AJ laughed.

"He is. I gave him a dead mouse. He's happy." She said. Of course her python had to come with them on their journey of getting married and having a family. Punk couldn't stand the creature and always felt it was ready to swallow him whole, but it clearly liked AJ.

"Good." Punk said, "When is it gonna die?" He asked.

"Phil." She whispered harshly, bearing in mind their daughter was fast asleep in her crib.

"What? It hates me." Punk said, "Anyway, did the show go good?" He asked her as she nodded.

"Yeah. It felt so good to be back up there. Although I did burn my lip a little." She admitted as he frowned.

"Want me to kiss it better?" He smirked.

"Oh, go on then." She smiled, feeling him press a kiss against her lips and at the side of her mouth.

"Better?" He grinned as she laughed.

"All better." She nodded, "I talked to Kady about thanksgiving. We've been invited to her mom's, with the kids." She said, "Like we have been for the past four years." She said, "Just to clarify."

"You remember when you volunteered to come to my parents house for thanksgiving?" He asked with a smile as she laughed to herself.

"I'd only known you a few days." She smiled, thinking back, "It wasn't a good experience, was it?" She smiled a little.

"You almost slapped my mom and I punched my brother." He said, "Not good at all."

"Your dad was sweet though." AJ said, trying to look on the upside of things. It really felt like yesterday that her and Punk had just began this journey together.

"Yeah, he liked you." Punk nodded, "At least he makes effort with the kids." Punk said. Out of both sides of AJ and Punk's families, only Punk's father had made an effort to engage with Punk and AJ, along with the kids.

"Do you have to go to work tomorrow?" She pouted, curling into him and tracing her finger along his tattooed chest, "Can't you just pretend you're sick?" She asked.

"I'm afraid not." He shook his head, "I'll see you tomorrow night." He told her with a smile.

"Oh, yeah." She said with a smirk, "I look forward to it." She said, leaning forward and pressing another kiss on his lips, curling in against him and falling asleep peacefully. She couldn't have been happier if she tried.

* * *

" _Are you nervous?" AJ smiled as she walked beside Punk along the pathway to his parent's house for thanksgiving. She couldn't help notice him fidgeting and getting agitated._

" _A little. I'm just worried on what my mom is gonna say. If she thinks something she says it."_

" _You're worried she's gonna say something to me?" AJ asked him._

" _Can you blame me? I don't want her to scare you off."_

" _She won't. If she has something to say, she can say it. I can handle it. It'll surprise you what people have said to me before." She said as they walked through the gate and up to the door._

 _They survived most of the dinner just staying quiet and talking amongst themselves and with Punk's father, Rick, who was very happy Punk had brought AJ along, but as the dinner finished up and being the polite girl she was, AJ was helping take in the plates whilst Punk chatted with his father. It was the first time he'd addressed AJ as his girlfriend and it felt good._

" _So how long have you been with her?" Rick asked._

" _A few weeks." Punk replied._

" _And already bringing her home to mom and dad?" Rick laughed._

" _She wanted to come." Punk shrugged, "I'm crazy about her." He admitted sheepishly._

" _She seems like a lovely girl." Rick smiled, "And I know your mother always gets you in a flustered panic as it is, but don't pay attention to what she thinks." Rick said as Punk just nodded._

" _I know, I don't let her get to me. I just don't want her to be rude to AJ." Punk said, meanwhile in the kitchen, his mother, Patrice, was taking the dishes from AJ who was trying her best to be polite._

" _So… how long have you been dating my son for?" Patrice asked, taking the dinner plates from AJ and putting them in the sink whilst other family floated around._

" _A few weeks." AJ said, grabbing a dish towel, preparing herself to dry._

" _Just a few weeks?" Patrice said, "Doesn't wait about my son, does he?" She spat hastily, "I'm surprised you've lasted that long with him actually." She sniggered._

" _He's a wonderful man." AJ batted, "No one has ever treated me as good as he does." She made herself clear._

" _You'll get bored of him." Patrice shrugged, "How did you meet him?" She asked._

" _I'm friends with Kady… Connor's sister."_

" _That boy was no good either." Patrice shook her head, "But nevertheless… where is it you work?" She asked as AJ's stomach turned a little._

" _I work in burlesque." She said, "I'm a firebreather in the circus. Cirque Du Soleil is the show I work on." She said._

" _Burlesque? Isn't that stripping?" Patrice paused as AJ nodded._

" _Yeah, that comes with my job. But it's not what you think. I don't get my clothes off for the fun of it. It's the other things I do that counts." She said, "I work with snakes… hoops… all sorts of things."_

" _Phil brought me home a stripper. How wonderful." Patrice smiled to herself. She was in all her glory now that she'd found out this news._

" _I'm not a stripper." AJ made herself clear, "I'm a performer."_

" _Oh, honey. Don't make yourself sound smart. You get your clothes off for money and dance around." She smiled as AJ glared at her, "No wonder Phil is so interested in you."_

" _We haven't even slept together yet." AJ spat, hoping that wasn't a foolish thing to say, but feeling it right to do so. Her and Punk had only a shared a kiss at this point, and some cuddling. They hadn't slept with one another and neither even felt pressured into doing so. Punk was actually enjoying taking things slow._

" _Well then he will definitely get bored of you." Patrice said, "Girl like you will go through them all before you find the right one." She shrugged._

" _A girl like me?" AJ shook her head._

" _A whore." Patrice nodded whilst casually walking the dishes. AJ wondered how a woman could be so spiteful. She thought Punk was just exaggerating but boy was this woman living up to her expectations._

 _Meanwhile back in the living room, Punk's brother, Mike, had interrupted he and his father._

" _I see you've brought a date with you this year." Mike said smugly,"What's wrong with her for her to be dating the likes of you?" He asked as Rick rolled his eyes._

" _I don't want you boys fighting." Rick said._

" _There's nothing wrong with her." Punk said, "You know it's better that we don't talk to one another so why don't you piss off." Punk said casually._

" _How lovely of you to talk to me, your older brother, with such disrespect." He said._

" _Shut up, just get out of my sight." Punk said._

" _I just want to see how my little bro has been doing and what his new girl is like? I've not had a chance to talk to her yet, I'm sure she'll soon realise she was stuck with the less fortunate brother very soon."_

" _Just stay away from her." Punk shook his head._

" _Boys, enough. You're grown adults. Not five years old." Rick said, "Cut it out. Or I'll start drinking again." He groaned, walking away as Mike just eyed up his brother._

" _So c'mon. Tell me a bit about her." Mike smiled, "Where is she from? What does she do?" He smiled._

" _She's from New Jersey, and she works in the circus. She does burlesque." He said, looking down as Mike laughed._

" _Oh, you're being serious?" Mike said suddenly as Punk looked up, "I think I'm actually proud of you. You landed yourself a stripper?" Mike said with excitement._

" _She isn't a stripper." Punk spat._

" _Well what else do you call someone who takes their clothes off in front of a crowd?" Mike laughed, "It's not a bad thing… I just didn't expect it." He laughed._

" _Well get it over, quick, before I punch you." Punk said._

" _Bet you have a field day with her." Mike said, continuing to go on as Punk got more angry. He had become very protective over AJ in just a few short weeks, and this thanksgiving had gone exactly how he expected it to go, disastrous._

" _What's she like in bed?" Mike asked, "I'm actually jealous… for the first time in my life I'm jealous of you. I mean… those legs she has… that body… bet you she's been around though-" Mike was cut off as Punk raised his fist to his face, causing their father to rush over immediately whilst other family members shook their head towards Punk. But he didn't care, he barely even knew any of them anyway, but of course he was looked at to blame._

" _Ok, you two, break it up." Rick said, holding Mike back who had a bleeding nose and angry intentions._

" _Fuck it, I'm leaving." Punk spat, leaving the scene and going into the kitchen where he could see his mom and AJ in an intense argument, "AJ, we're leaving, c'mon." Punk said firmly._

" _Good." AJ spat, throwing the dish towel at his mother as Punk grinned, "Dry your own dishes." She spat as Punk smirked to his scowling mother, walking away with AJ and out of the house._

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you guys don't mind me doing the time jump. I feel like it'll help us get to the drama quicker which I know is what you guys want! Lol. REVIEW the chapter and let me know what you think.**


	7. Rethinking

**Rethinking**

* * *

"Hey, little guy. Where is your mom? You shouldn't open the door by yourself." Kady announced as she was greeted at AJ and Punk's home by Harry.

"She telled me you were coming." Harry smiled as Kady laughed, walking into the house and following Harry into the kitchen where AJ was. She raised her hand and admitted to never ever thinking AJ and Punk's relationship would work out, but they were actually pretty good together, and the feelings were genuine. She only wished she took them more serious at the start.

"Hey." AJ smiled, having just made herself a coffee, "Coffee?" She asked her friend who nodded, taking her scarf off and sitting it over a chair at the kitchen table, ruffling Harry's hair with her hand as he sat up at the kitchen table playing with his toys.

"Where is Louisa?" Kady frowned.

"Oh, just out with her friends. Told her to be back for ten." AJ said as Kady raised her eyebrows, "Where do you think, idiot?" She scoffed, "She's upstairs sleeping." She said, grabbing the sound monitor sitting in the kitchen and waving it in front of Kady.

"You got jokes." Kady nodded, "I was hoping to get a little cuddle." She frowned.

"She'll wake up for her bottle soon." AJ assured her, handing her the mug of coffee whilst standing in the kitchen, keeping an eye on Harry at the table.

"So what is it you needed to talk to me about?" Kady asked AJ.

"I got this… in the mail this morning." AJ said, reaching for the envelope beside the microwave, "Which is pretty ironic since we were talking about it last night." She said, handing it over to Kady who took the letter out of the envelope.

"Your parents want you over for thanksgiving?" Kady questioned with surprise, "Bit random." She said.

"I know." AJ nodded, "And I can't even tell if it's sincere or not. They've never met Phil before, and they don't even know I have children." She said, "My dad was always so strong in believing that children should come after marriage, and when he realises I had Harry before we got married I'm just gonna sit there and be lectured the full night." She huffed.

"Just forget it about then. Come to my mom's like you normally do." Kady shrugged.

"I know, but then there's the part of me that would really like to go, and feel like a normal family at thanksgiving. I mean… the chances of ever going to Punk's family is impossible. I'd like my kids to at least have one set of grandparents." She said.

"Well it's your decision." Kady said, "Has Punk seen the letter?" Kady asked.

"No. He had already gone to work by the time it came through the door." AJ said, "I know he won't want to go." She said.

"Why? He's normally good with things like that. Very supportive." She smiled.

"I know he is, but I feel like he's been a little off with me ever since that fight we had a few months ago." She said.

"The fight that caused you to go into labour?" Kady grinned a little.

"You have no idea how angry he was making me." AJ said truthfully.

"But that's you and Punk. You fight about stupid things and then you guys make up. What was it even about? Your job? No surprise." Kady said.

"I think he's worried now that we have kids." She said, "He told me straight to my face that if Louisa thinks of going down that road for a career then he'll put her in a private school." She rolled her eyes, "I understand that it's not a typical job you hear a mom having, but I don't care. He never had a problem with it before we had kids." She said.

"I don't know. I think you both have valid arguments." She said, "You obviously love your job, but you gotta step in his position for a minute."

"He knows I don't mess around. I do my job and that's it, I come straight home." She said.

"I know but I think it's the actual job that gets him flustered. At the end of the day, you still take your clothes off in front of people."

"Whose side are you on?" AJ questioned.

"Yours. Obviously. He's been to a show, he knows what's going on, it's not like he has reasons to doubt you, but I know how possessive you are over him, how would you feel if he was on show for any girl to drool at him every night?" She asked, "I know you'd go crazy."

"It's different." AJ shook her head.

"Is it?" Kady asked.

"Uh, I don't know. I mean… what the hell do I do if I stop doing the shows? I'm not good at anything else."

"Well what did you want to be before you got into burlesque. Because I know that was never your intentions." Kady said.

"I either wanted to write or do photography. That's why I came to Chicago because they had those courses in the different colleges. But I don't really fancy going to college. I have two children. I don't have time for that." She said, "You know I've always just wanted to be a full-time mom."

"Yeah, well unfortunately you don't get paid for that." Kady said, "The writing thing sounds pretty cool. Maybe there's a way you don't have to go to college for it. There is tons of publishing agencies around here." Kady said.

"Oh, I don't know I'm just thinking out loud." AJ shook her head, "I know he'd be happy if I left the shows, but would I be happy?" AJ questioned.

"Well for once you wouldn't have to sleep during the day. You wouldn't have to suffer burnt lips or heavy make-up anymore." She shrugged, "Maybe it's something to consider." Kady shrugged.

"I don't know. What's the point in starting up a whole new career at my age?" She said.

"You're twenty nine." Kady said, "You're still young." She said.

"I don't know. I'll think about it." AJ shrugged, "Back on to this letter… what should I do?" She asked.

"Talk to Punk about it when he gets home. Maybe it'd be best to go and show face." Kady shrugged.

"I don't know." AJ sighed frustratedly as Harry approached her.

"Can we have lunch now? I'm hungry." He said as AJ smiled.

"Ok, baby. Will we make a start on the cookies too?" She asked him as he nodded excitedly. Having her children were by far the greatest moments of her life. She was terrified at the start when she found out she was pregnant with Harry, but once he was here and she held him in her arms with Punk by her side, she knew it was exactly what she had longed for. He was the spitting image of Punk it was almost scary. And their sweet, beautiful daughter had a lot of Punk's features too, but had taken her brown eyes and small fragility.

"Can I get in on these cookies?" Kady asked as AJ smiled, helping Harry to sit up on the counter as he liked to see everything that was going on.

* * *

Later that night Punk got home from work and although having had a tiring day, he loved nothing more than coming home to the excitement of his three year old son, anxious wife and crying newborn daughter.

Once they had dinner and they put Harry to bed, they headed back downstairs to have their own quiet time, they'd gotten used to their private and intimate times decreasing as Harry grew older and they had another child.

"Kady came over today." AJ said, curled into him on the couch. He was near falling asleep, in some basketball shorts and a t-shirt.

"What did she want?" Punk turned to her.

"We talked about me possibly leaving my job." She said as he was suddenly awake and all ears, "And now you wake up." She nodded, slightly annoyed.

"Don't be like that." Punk said, "She agrees with me?" Punk asked.

"Yeah." AJ said, "I don't know why I thought I could have children and carry on." She shrugged.

"April, babe. I'm not saying that you have to quit, I was just telling you I'd prefer it if you did. If you choose to stay and do your shows, then of course I'm gonna support you."

"Why would I want your support if it's not genuine?" She asked.

"It is. It's just not what I'd prefer." He told her.

"Well… I originally came here to Chicago to do writing or photography. That's what I was into before I sold my soul to burlesuqe, but I don't know… I'm so exhausted, I don't have time for college." She told him truthfully, "But Kady reckons I might not need college."

"For writing?" Punk said, "I think you might."

"She said I could try a few publishing agencies around here, they might give me an apprenticeship." She shrugged, "I don't know. I'm just thinking out loud at the moment." She told him.

"Don't leave your shows if you don't want to." Punk said, feeling bad now that he'd made her feel like she had to leave, "I'm just worried about the kids… what they'll think when they get older. What happens when Harry invites his friends over and they all find out what you do for a living? I'm gonna have to beat up children, April. You know I'm not like that." He said as AJ laughed.

"Stop it." AJ said, "I know. I know it's hard for you, I understand why you feel the way you do. I just need to know I have somewhere secure to go if I do leave." She said, "I won't have you busting your ass off whilst I sit back doing nothing." She said.

"Well you don't have to make any rash decisions right now." He told her, "Have a think about it."

"I will." AJ nodded, "Also, I got a letter in from my parents this morning just after you left for work." She told him.

"Your parents?" He questioned with surprise.

"Yeah. They've invited us to thanksgiving." AJ said, "Only problem is… they have no idea we're married, and they have no idea we have two children, so I'm not sure what to do." She admitted, "My parents are really holy. Like yours I guess… my dad always told me and my brother that marriage had to come before kids, so I'm a little scared to what he might think when I show up with a son who is three and tell him I've been married for two years." She said.

"Well that's me definitely getting beat up." He admitted with a small chuckle, "You really want to go?" He asked.

"Well since we've been invited." AJ shrugged, "Maybe it would be nice." She said.

"Well… anything beats thanksgiving at my parents." He scoffed.

"You know… there was an upside to that night." She smirked, shuffling closer to him, "I'm sure you remember." She grinned, "You were so uptight." She whispered in his ear, "I seized the perfect moment." She smirked.

"You did." Punk chuckled, looking into her eyes and pressing his lips against hers, pulling her around to straddle his hips as he deepened the kiss.

* * *

" _Just calm down." AJ said, having to back from Punk's parents after thanksgiving. Luckily Punk's apartment was empty as Connor was at his mother's and wouldn't be back until much later on._

" _I told you it would end in a fucking disaster." He said, angrily sitting down on the couch as she followed after him._

" _I told you before we went, I wasn't going to be impressed." She assured him, "If it makes you feel any better, your dad was really sweet to me." She smiled, "He told me that we should go out some time, just us three."_

" _He did?" Punk asked curiously._

" _Yeah. He said he couldn't get a chance with everything going on tonight." She said, "Forget about your mom and your brother." She told him, shuffling closer to him, "Who cares what they think, I like you, and you like me… and that's it. They're just trying to find something to pick at to have a one up on you." She said, "Don't let them get to you." She told him, resting her hand on his upper thigh._

 _They'd yet to sleep together. It had been a few weeks and all he'd got as far as was kissing and running his hands up her t-shirt. She shut him down every time he tried his best to make a move, but he respected it and kept to her rules._

" _I don't care what they say to me. My mom called you a whore." Punk said, "I'm not ok with that." He said._

" _It's not the first time I've heard it." She told him truthfully, "It doesn't matter." She smiled at him softly, "You don't have to act all macho and angry." She laughed a little._

" _I am angry." Punk said truthfully._

" _Can I cheer you up?" She smiled, leaning her chin on his shoulder, "I'm getting a little impatient now." She whispered as he smirked._

" _And what if I'm the one to say no this time?" He turned to her as she smirked, "Who am I kidding?" He laughed, swooping down and capturing her lips with his. It was messy and sloppy and rushed, but he had been waiting for this for so long. He was on a mission and she was allowing him to be._

 _He picked her up, her legs wrapping around his waist, walking into his bedroom and shutting the door with his foot, placing her down in the centre of the bed, stripping his t-shirt off before diving in on her, shuffling her up the bed as he began trailing his kisses down her jaw and to her neck._

" _Oh, that feels nice." AJ moaned, her eyes fluttering shut, feeling his warm tongue travel down her neck, teasing and pleasing her the best he could. He lifted his t-shrit and then quickly went in for the bra, unclasping it and throwing it away, cupping her breasts in his hands and using his tongue on them equally._

 _He had her stripped in no time and hearing her moans and pleads for him only encouraged him more and more._

 _She sized him up once he'd stripped his jeans and boxers off and gulped, "Oh, god." She said._

" _What?" Punk lifted his head from buried in her neck, "What's wrong?" He asked, begging that she didn't want to stop, "Sorry, did I hurt you?" He asked, hoping he hadn't hurt her in his rush to have her this way._

" _No… no, just..." She bit her lip, "There's a lot of you." She said. He didn't quite understand what she was meaning until he noticed she was staring down at his length._

" _Yeah?" He laughed a little, "I'm sure you'll be just fine." He grinned, kissing down her body as she rolled her head back, feeling him come close contact with her centre._

 _He began using his full mouth on her, sucking on her clit and teasing her core, slipping a finger inside her to warm her up._

" _Oh, Phil!" She moaned with joy. She'd longed and dreamed of this moment since she met him. She knew he'd be more than capable of satisfying her._

 _He worked her to her first orgasm where she screamed out in signal that she had reached her peak, grabbing his hair and thrusting her hips forward, her whole body numb but feeling so good. He then kissed his way back up her body and positioned himself between her legs._

 _He slid into her tight, slippery walls and paused for a minute for her to adjust to him, listening to her loud moan that faded into a satisfied smirk._

" _Fuck you're so tight." Punk groaned, beginning to thrust himself into her as she held onto him. This wasn't just her letting him have sex with her, this was her letting him know she trusted him, she full trusted him, and just when she thought her feelings for him couldn't get any stronger, he showed her an incredible night and took great care of her._

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think.**


	8. Thanksgiving

**Thanksgiving**

* * *

"Do you think your brother is gonna be here?" Punk turned to AJ who just shrugged. They were currently on a flight to New Jersey. Harry had taken first dibs of the window seat, looking out with fascination whilst his DVD played on the TV on the back of the next seat. AJ was in the middle holding Louisa who had thankfully stopped crying, and Punk took the aisle seat.

"I don't know. The letter never said." AJ said, "I hope not." She groaned.

"Can't be as douchey as mine." Punk said.

"You'd be surprised." AJ said, "I guess it's too late to turn back now." She admitted with fear as he just stared at her.

"I got your back. They disrespect you, they disrespect me, and I won't hesitate to say something. I don't care if they're your parents." He shrugged, "Look at it like this, if they didn't want us here, they wouldn't have sent a letter."

"I'm just scared they're gonna be mad when they see we have two children, and we're married." She said, "I know it as our choice to not tell them, but they can be really spiteful people, and I had my reasons." She said, "Did we do the right thing? Not telling them?" She asked as Punk nodded.

"It was what you wanted. And I didn't know them to make a judgement. You didn't have a relationship, so why the hell bother?" He said.

"I don't know. I'm just afraid they're gonna throw it in my face." She said.

"Well I'll throw it back." Punk said firmly as AJ smiled, giving him Louisa who settled better in her father's arms, letting AJ lean in against him, "Don't worry. Let's just try and enjoy ourselves." He said, kissing the top of her head whilst looking down at Louisa who lay curling her fingers, looking up at him with those shimmery, dark eyes her mother had.

"Is that another plane?!" Harry exclaimed as both Punk and AJ turned around.

"Looks like it." Punk nodded as Harry smiled with fascination.

"Pretty cool, huh?" AJ smiled, playing with her son's hair as he looked out the window.

"Are we racing?" Harry turned around to his parents who both laughed a little.

"Yeah, and we're gonna win. I bet." Punk said.

"Woah." Harry said, "Really?" He questioned.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "Keep your eye on it. We'll overtake it in no time." Punk said as Harry looked out the window with fascination and concentration.

* * *

When Punk and AJ had gotten off the plane, all the window watching had completely exhausted Harry out and he had fallen asleep, being carried out of the airport in his father's arms whilst AJ took care of Louisa in her stroller.

They got to their hotel in a cab and dumped their bags, letting Harry get a nap before they headed to AJ's parents.

"Do you think he needs another hair cut?" AJ asked Punk curiously, sitting on the edge of the bed where Harry was napping, "It's getting messy like yours." She turned to her husband who was setting up the travel crib in the corner for Louisa.

"No. Don't cut his hair again." Punk said firmly.

"Phil." AJ tutted, "He has to get hair cuts." She said, turning to her son and smiling. He was the cutest little thing ever. A mini Punk. Dark messy hair that covered his forehead, dark eyes the colour of his father's, a smirk that had been adapted from a very young age, "Sweet boy." She whispered, placing a kiss on Harry's head, standing up and walking over to her case to get an outfit for tonight.

"What should I wear?" AJ asked curiously whilst Punk lifted Louisa into her travel crib, smiling as she never let go of the small teddy bear she enjoyed looking at and playing with.

"I don't know." Punk said, staring down at Louisa. He could never take his eyes off her. He always thought the only girl in his life would be his wife, but that all changed three months ago.

"Phil. Help me." AJ said as Punk rolled his eyes and walked away from the crib.

"A dress." Punk shrugged.

"Which one?" AJ asked him curiously as he stood beside her with his hands on his hips, "This one shows off more cleavage, this one shows off more ass, this one shows nothing." She pointed to the three dresses.

"Ok, well… bearing in mind you're gonna be at a dinner table with not only your parents who seem very reserved and holy, but our three year old son is also gonna be there." He reminded her as she grinned.

"Hmm." AJ said, "What about the ass one? My ass looks really, really good in it." AJ told him as he groaned.

"You want me to introduce myself to your parents with a boner?" Punk questioned as AJ laughed.

"Oh, alright. Boring one it is." She said, throwing the other two dresses back in the case and sitting it down on the floor.

"I like that dress." He said, "You don't need ass or tits out to get my attention." He told her as she raised her eyebrows, "Well… sometimes." He shrugged as she smiled, "Hey, have you thought anymore about your job yet?" He asked her curiously. It had been a week since she had spoke to him about having a rethink about her career.

"Yeah, actually." AJ nodded, "And I spoke to Rob a few nights ago. He totally seen where I was coming from. And to be honest, Phil… I'm one of the oldest girls there. I know I'm not particularly old, but all the girls besides me and Kady are in their early twenties, some are even eighteen, nineteen." She said, "The more and more I'm thinking about it, the more and more I think it's realistic." She told him truthfully.

"You still had an incredible career doing your shows. You're great at it all. But maybe you'll surprise yourself doing something else too." Punk suggested.

"I think I'm gonna do the writing thing." AJ nodded to him.

"What would you write about?" He asked.

"I have a pretty good mind. I'm sure I could think of something." She said, "It's good actually that we're here because I used to have a journal, and a folder, and I had wrote a lot when I was a kid, I wonder if my mom still has it." She said, "It'd be fun to see it again."

"Well you have my support definitely." Punk smiled, "You're gonna do great, whatever it is you decide to do." Punk told her.

"Thank you." AJ smiled, "Maybe it will be good for me. It'll be nice to introduce myself as a writer and not a show girl for once." She admitted.

"You know that's not the reason I'm pushing for this, right?" He said as she smiled, walking over to him and wrapping her arms around him.

"I know." AJ nodded, "You just want what's best for me. You always have." She said, looking up at him dreamily, "And I love you every day for it." She smiled.

"I love you too." He said, pressing a sweet kiss on her lips as she smiled against it, pulling back and grinning.

"What?" Punk laughed a little.

"I can't believe we've been together for five years." She admitted, shaking her head.

"Me neither sometimes." Punk admitted, "Nothing feels wrong though." He said.

"Well what do I always say?" She questioned him, picking up her dress.

"Everything happens for a reason?" He guessed as she smiled.

"Everything happens for a reason." She smiled, walking away into the bathroom to get ready.

* * *

Once getting ready and getting the kids ready, they headed out and got to AJ's parents house. The house was bigger than Punk expected, and seemed very secluded and out of the way from the rest of the neighbourhood.

The only reason AJ was nervous was because she knew her parents would be completely speechless to see two children with them. A part of her felt guilty for not telling them but another part of her felt it was the right thing to do.

"I feel sick." AJ admitted whilst Punk frowned, knocking the front door and lifting Harry up who was still a little tired, having just woken from his nap about an hour ago.

"It'll be fine." Punk promised her as a figure came to the door, unlocking it and opening it up, watching as who he could only assume was her father, stand, his excited smile faded as he seen more than expected to his daughter's life.

"Hi dad." AJ smiled nervously as Punk stood, for once, behind her. This was her family. He was just going to keep lowkey and polite.

"April." AJ's father, Dan, said, looking in the stroller and seeing baby Louisa fast asleep, "You best come in." He said as AJ nodded. It was the reaction she knew they'd get. He was obviously shocked but soon the anger would kick in and she wasn't really in the mood to fight. She actually just wanted to get on.

They headed into the house, making their way into the living room where AJ seen her brother sitting with a young girl.

"Holy shit." AJ's brother, Josh, said, standing up when he seen his sister, not only with a man, but two small children.

"Hi to you too." AJ looked over at him, and just when things couldn't get any more intense, AJ's mother came rushing in the living room, cooking apron on and hair up messily, her glasses on her head as she almost fainted.

"April." Nancy said, placing her hand on her heart with shock.

"What?" AJ laughed nervously, "None of you ever seen kids before?" She asked them, really wishing they would stop making her feel like a stranger. She understood it was a big deal, but they didn't have to all stare at her and Punk like they were aliens.

"Why have you never…. You never told us you had two children, April." Dan shook his head, "I feel hurt." He admitted.

"We'd stopped talking. I didn't think you'd be interested." AJ said timidly.

"You silly little girl." Nancy spat, "Why would we not be interested? Our grandchildren?" She said as Punk put Harry down.

"We came here for thanksgiving." Punk said, being able to tell AJ had no words to say, "So is that what we're gonna do? Or are we gonna stand here and be serious all night?" He asked them, looking from her father, to her brother, to her mother.

"And you, we know nothing about you." Nancy pointed.

"Well that's why we came here." AJ said, "I'd like to have thanksgiving with my family." She said whilst Harry stood behind, tugging on Punk's jeans and standing behind him. He didn't know what was going on but he didn't know any of these people.

"It's alright, buddy." Punk promised him quietly.

"Ok." Nancy nodded in a whisper, still in shock, but putting her anger to one side, taking her apron off and approaching her daughter with open arms as AJ accepted the hug. There was a time she got on with her parents, she never really knew what happened between them all, but she was hoping that bond could be brought back to life again.

Nancy's hug signalled for Dan to shake hands with Punk as well as Josh who gulped when Punk gripped his hand tightly. His girlfriend also introduced herself, and before they knew it, they were sat down for thanksgiving dinner. Louisa was fed and put back in her stroller, falling straight back to sleep whilst Harry sat beside Punk playing with his food, bored to be perfectly honest.

"So what is it you do for a living, Phil?" Dan asked Punk whilst AJ noticed her mother not being able to take her eyes from Harry. It made her feel bad, but she had her reasons. Maybe if they had been more open to accepting her back in, they would have gotten to meet their grandchildren soon.

"I'm an engineer." Punk said, "I'm not as talented as April." Punk nodded to AJ.

"I seriously doubt that." Nancy laughed, "Still stripping, April?" Nancy asked her daughter.

"It's not stripping." AJ replied firmly.

"You take your clothes off." Josh scoffed.

"Really?" AJ whined, nodding her head to Harry who was listening in on the conversation.

"Well do you?" Nancy asked.

"Yes." AJ said, "But I'm actually thinking of starting up a new career." She told them, "I'm sure you'll be happy to hear?"

"What's it this time?" Josh laughed, "Prostitution?" He sniggered whilst his girlfriend shot him a look of disgust, along with Punk who was burning him with his own eyes.

"Josh, that's enough." Dan said firmly, "What is it you're doing, sweetheart?" He asked with a smile.

"Writing." AJ said, "I'm gonna go to some publishing agencies, check things out, see what I need to do." She shrugged.

"That's great, April." Nancy said to AJ's surprise, "What would you write about?" She asked.

"I'm not sure yet. I'd like to write from personal experiences but do in a fiction way." She said, "I don't know, I have lots of ideas running through my mind." She admitted.

"Well I think it's a very wise move." Nancy said, "And I bet it's great money." She said.

"Yeah, I think it's really good. Depending on sales obviously." AJ nodded.

"So how did you two meet?" Josh asked curiously.

"Phil is friends with Kady's brother. You remember me talking about Kady… the girl I worked with?" She said as they all nodded casually, "Well her brother and Phil came over for the weekend five years ago and we just got on really well." AJ smiled.

"And I'm assuming you got married then pretty quickly." Dan said, "What with little Harry being three." Dan said as Punk stiffened, noticing AJ go the same.

"Actually dad, we… we had Harry before we got married." She said as Josh faked a painful noise.

"Oh, god damn." Josh said.

"Why would you do that?" Dan shook his head.

"Well in all fairness, we didn't plan it." Punk admitted as Dan put his hand on his forehead.

"April." Dan shook his head, "I am so disappointed in you." He hissed, "I do not agree with children out of wedlock. You know what the Lord thinks of it."

"I don't think he cares about what me and April do, no offence." Punk said as Dan got more and more angrier.

"Have they both been baptised?" Dan asked AJ who shook her head.

"Dan, it is their choice." Nancy said.

"They should be baptised." Dan said angrily.

"Not if we don't want them to be." Punk argued, "I respect you and your religion, respect mine." Punk said.

"You have no religion." Dan spat, "April was brought up with God. You've tainted her."

"She didn't have belief when I met her. No I haven't." Punk said, "Welcome to the real world, God doesn't matter to a lot of kids anymore." Punk said as AJ was shaking her head at him, begging him to stop talking, only seeing her father getting angrier.

"Weren't your raised right?" Dan said.

"I was raised in a house just like this. Little smaller. But my parents took me to church every Sunday, yeah. And it done nothing for me." He said, "I respect your beliefs, now respect mine and Aprils." He said as Dan went quiet, silence filling the table as AJ crossed her arms. She'd never seen her father be silenced before.

"Desert anyone?" Nancy piped up to avoid the awkward atmosphere as everyone nodded.

* * *

Later that night after more civil conversations spilled out within the table, the family broke apart into small groups. Dan had excused himself from the night and headed upstairs to have some alone time. No one had ever spoken to him the way Punk had. He hated to say it, but he admired it. He did have to respect them on what they wanted to do for their children. He just needed some time to think as everything had gotten a little too much.

AJ was in the kitchen helping her mother with the dishes along with Josh's girlfriend who was actually rather nice and getting along with AJ. Meanwhile Punk sat in the living room with AJ's brother and Harry who was getting sleepy and ready for bed.

"We raced a plane today." Harry told Josh as Punk sat in silence, letting Josh have a conversation with Harry willingly. Her brother wasn't half as bad as his. A little cocky, arrogant and smug, but he wasn't that bad.

"Yeah?" Josh smiled, "Did you win?"

"I fell asleep but daddy said we did." Harry said as Punk smiled.

"You know, I used to fly a plane. And I guess it was like racing other planes, and I had weapons, and an outfit." He said as Punk raised his eyebrows.

"The army?" Punk questioned as Josh nodded.

"That's so cool." Harry smiled.

"April never said." Punk said.

"Probably told you about all the bad stuff I've done and not any good stuff." Josh said, "Yeah, I was there for 6 and a half years." Josh said, "Just got back last year and decided to pack it in." He told him.

"Hats off to you." Punk nodded.

"Listen, don't worry about my dad. He has really strict morals and beliefs. I think he'd rather you talk back to him than sit in silence." He said, "He'll respect you more for it."

"I didn't exactly want to be rude." Punk said, "But c'mon. They're my kids, I'll have them growing up in whatever way I want them to." He said, "And the whole, marriage before kids thing, what's that about?" Punk shook his head.

"I'm not sure. He's just old fashioned." Josh said, "And I think the kids thing has shook my mom and him up. My mom is good at hiding it, but my dad has to go away from everyone and be alone." He said.

"April wanted to tell you guys. But there was no connection or relationship. She didn't see the point. They'd been so unsupportive of her since she moved to Chicago. I think she just felt a little neglected I guess."

"I don't think they expected her to leave at such a young age, and then finding out what she done for a living… they felt a little betrayed I guess." He said, "But I feel much better now knowing she has a big guy like you looking out for her." He admitted.

"You know… I don't think she realises how much you care about her." Punk admitted. Her brother wasn't bad at all. Perhaps said the wrong things at the wrong time, and was a little arrogant, but he could see he did care about AJ.

"Of course I care about her." Josh said, "We all do. April just has really bad problems with letting people in." He said, "She was always a troubled little girl." He shook his head.

"What do you mean?" Punk asked.

"Well she was home schooled as a kid. She got bullied pretty badly." He said, "She never had friends. Barely spoke to us never mind anyone else. It was a complete shock when she decided to up and leave to go to Chicago, even more of a shock when she called us up telling us she'd got a job at a burlesque show." He shook his head, "Never made sense to me."

"She never told me she had a bad childhood."

"Like I said, she doesn't like talking." Josh said, "Sometimes I wonder if something more had gone on back then. Why did she got bullied so much? Why was she always so quiet? But I think it was just her nature." He shrugged as Punk just thought to himself. Didn't seem right to him, "Someone is tired." Josh laughed noticing Harry passed out in between them.

"He's had a long day." Punk smiled.

"He's a cute little guy." Josh smiled, "And she is as precious as ever." He nodded over to Louisa's stroller which she was in, fast asleep.

"Tell me about it." Punk said proudly.

Overall, her family were pretty difficult, but probably just misjudged. He was sure AJ's father was a lovely man when he wasn't so dedicated to God. And her mother seemed a little forward but still pleasant. And her brother was a nice guy from where he sat. Maybe it was for the best they came. They were here for the week, so maybe they would leave New Jersey on a positive note. He hoped.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you guys think will happen next!**


	9. Hushed

**Hushed**

* * *

"Why'd you never tell me you were home schooled?" Punk asked, having got back to their hotel, both Harry and Louisa asleep whilst AJ stood in the bathroom brushing her hair, Punk leaning on the edge of the door watching her.

"Was never important… or relevant." She told him, "Who told you?" She asked.

"Your brother." Punk said.

"Of course he did." AJ hissed.

"You know, he isn't all that bad." Punk said, "He does care about you."

"Yeah, when he feels like it." AJ said, "So what I was home schooled? What's the big deal?" She turned around to him, wondering why he was pushing it.

"Why were you home schooled?" He asked her as she left the bathroom, Punk following behind her as she she got out of her dress and put on her pyjama shorts and vest.

"Because I didn't fit in at normal school." AJ told him, "I didn't have friends." She shrugged, walking by him again and into the bathroom to take her make-up off.

"Were you bullied?" Punk eased.

"No." AJ shot back, glaring at him, "Why are you so interested in my school life?" She laughed a little.

"Your brother told me you were bullied. Bad." He said.

"So you have your answers. Stop talking to me about it." She asked as Punk walked further into the bathroom, taking a seat on the closed down toilet.

"Why have you never talked to me about it?" He asked, "I'm not gonna laugh at you or tease you." He said, "Josh said you were really troubled growing up." He said, "Don't blame me for being curious about my wife and her past."

"Josh exaggerates." AJ said, "Yeah, I got bullied. I was an easy target. My mom and dad finally decided to home school me when the bullying started getting physical." She said.

"Wasn't your brother around to help you?" Punk shook his head. He knew Josh was just a few years older than AJ.

"He went to a different school." AJ said, "A private one. My parents could only afford for one of us to go, and since he was the one they believed to become a doctor or a lawyer or something like that, he got to go." She said, "I got stick in the rough, public school."

"But why did you get bullied?" Punk asked, "I don't understand."

"I don't know, Phil. I wondered the exact same thing." She said, "I had glasses. They got broken every week. I liked reading. My books would get torn to pieces. I never done anything to anyone for them to hurt me." She said, "I didn't have friends." She said.

"What age was this?" He asked.

"From around 12, 13… then when I turned 16 my mom and dad decided to home school me."

"Girls picked on you?" He asked.

"And boys." She said, "I don't expect you to take it seriously. Kids get bullied all the time." She shook her head.

"Is there something else you're leaving out?" He asked as she shook her head.

"No. Can we just stop talking about it?" She asked.

"Why would Josh say you were troubled?" He asked.

"I don't know. Can we just drop it?" She said, "What happened back then was in the past, and I don't want to think about it." She told him as he just nodded.

"Ok. Ok, baby." Punk nodded, "I would have been your friend if I was around." He smiled to her as she looked down at him with a smirk.

"I could have used a friend like you." AJ admitted truthfully as he stood up, pulling her into him tightly and brushing her hair from her face.

"You got me now." He smiled, cupping her cheeks and pressing a kiss on her lips that she deepened quickly, shutting the bathroom door over with her foot, her small hands destinating their way to his jeans, unbuckling the belt and sliding them down with his boxers, sinking to her knees on the way down.

"Fuck." Punk moaned, grabbing a fistful of her hair as she began using her mouth on him, taking him all the way in, "Just like that, April." He moaned, looking down at her as she looked up at him the entire time, taking him so far in that he was hitting the back of her throat. She paused when he held her head at a standstill, deepthroating him until he let her go, choking a little as he laughed, watching her release him, wiping her mouth and using her hand on him now.

"You like choking me?" She grinned up at him.

"With my dick? Yeah." Punk nodded, pulling her up to her feet and stripping her, throwing her pyjamas and underwear behind him carelessly along with his t-shirt, "Someone is excited." He said, pushing her against the wall, running his fingers down her slit and massaging her clit as she rolled her head against the tiles.

"Fuck, that feels so good, baby." AJ moaned, watching as he crouched down, draping one of her legs over his shoulder, the other one supporting herself up against the wall whilst he dived into her wet pussy.

"Phil!" She moaned loudly as Punk chuckled smugly, using his mouth on her, teasing her entrance and her clit with his warm tongue. She felt light headed when he done this. Everything around her felt like it was floating. He could make her feel so good. A way no one else could, "I'm gonna cum." AJ moaned, "Oh, God… I'm so close." She groaned, placing her hand at the back of his head whilst he kept his face buried into her, not even stopping to take a breath, eating her alive like he never would again.

"Oh, yes!" AJ moaned, "Oh, right there. Don't stop." She moaned, feeling herself reach her peak, her body going rigid and numb, a wave of pleasure taking over her as she rolled her head back, smiling to herself as Punk kissed his way back up her body, meeting her lips, kissing her deeply whilst lifting her up, her legs wrapping around him whilst she leaned against the wall.

"You need to be quiet." He warned her as she laughed.

"I don't wanna be quiet." She moaned like a child, "I want to scream." She said lustfully.

"As much as I want you to, I don't want the kids to wake up." He told her.

"Then you're just gonna have to cover my mouth and hope for the best." She teased as he smiled, sliding into her, covering her mouth before she got the chance to say anything or make any noise. She had a tendency to be really loud.

"Fuck, you're so tight." He moaned, sliding in and out of her wet, warm pussy, gripping him like a hot furnace, whilst her moans muffled against his hand and her eyes rolled back into her head. She could never get fed up of the way he made her feel. Never.

* * *

Later on, after they finished up their antics in the bathroom and cleaned up, they got into bed to settle down for the night, both still awake however.

"I don't think the night went that bad." Punk admitted, spooning AJ from behind, kissing her neck occasionally with love as she smiled.

"Well it could have gone worse." She whispered.

"I'm sure your dad will come round. And your mom." He said.

"My mom was fine actually." AJ said to her own surprise.

"Do you think they'll want to see the kids before we go in a few days?" He asked.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "And I think we should let them. They seem interested enough." She said, "And I want to ask my mom if she still has my folders with all my stories." She said.

"And you thought things were gonna be disastrous." He said.

"I know. I'm surprised." AJ admitted, "Maybe next year we could do thanksgiving at our house." She said.

"We can't cook." Punk laughed quietly.

"Then we should learn. I've been watching cooking programmes actually." She said.

"So that's what you do when I'm at work?" Punk asked, "Better than some other guy in your bed." He joked as she turned around to him.

"Why do you say things like that?" She asked angrily.

"What?" Punk raised his eyebrows, "I was joking."

"Well it's not funny." AJ said, "Do you think I'd do that to you?"

"I'm joking, April." Punk shook his head.

"Well I don't find it funny." AJ said, turning back around as she shuffled away from him, hugging the covers as Punk shook his head. What had just happened?

"April?" He said, trying to pull her back over to him.

"I'm tired." She said, "Goodnight."

"Are you serious?" Punk whispered, but listened as he got no response, sinking down on his back as he tilted his head, looking at her curled at the edge of the bed, back facing him. It was a joke. Why had she gotten so touchy all of a sudden?

* * *

The next morning, AJ was still giving Punk the cold shoulder and refused to say much to him whilst on their way to her parents house with the kids. She normally had unnecessary moods with him but only for a few minutes and normally during her time of the month. He only made a joke, he was convinced he'd said worse to her in their five years of being together.

Anyway, they got to her parents house and whilst Nancy was spending some quality time with Harry and Louisa, turning to mush over them and talking all sorts to Harry whilst she had cuddles from Louisa, Punk was speaking with her father.

"I don't want there to be any bad blood between us." Punk said, "But… the way I bring my children up is a decision made between myself and AJ. No one else." He said, "I'm sorry AJ lost her faith that you wanted her to keep, but don't blame me for it when I had nothing to do with it." He said. He didn't want to be peacemaker. He actually wanted her father to come talk to him, but he got the feeling he was stubborn.

"Don't worry about it, son. I think yesterday was just a lot to take in. What with the children and the marriage. I have very strong beliefs, and I'm glad you respect them… I will respect yours and April's too. Don't worry." He nodded, "You both seem very happy, so you must be doing something right." He admitted.

"Yeah, we are." Punk smiled, "We have a good life." He nodded, carrying on in civil conversation with him whilst AJ stood in the kitchen with her brother.

"Do you know if mom still has my folder with all my writing things in it?" AJ asked her brother.

"I'm not sure." Josh admitted, "Why?"

"I don't know. It'd be fun to see it again." She shrugged.

"I'm not sure, you'd need to ask her." Josh said, "Phil is a nice guy." Josh said.

"Yeah? I'm glad you two are getting on." AJ smiled casually.

"But… for being together for five years, he sure doesn't know much about you." Josh said.

"What are you talking about?" AJ shook her head.

"Well clearly you haven't told him about your real reasons for leaving here to go to Chicago." Josh said, "He didn't even know you were home schooled." Josh said.

"I don't want him to know." AJ said, "Promise me you won't tell him anything." AJ said with fear.

"I promise. It's definitely not my place to tell him. But you should, if you love him." Josh shrugged.

"Are you implying I don't love my husband?" AJ said, "Because I do. That's actually why I'm not telling him." She said.

"He seems like an understanding guy." Josh said, "He'll understand." He said.

"I'm not so sure." AJ sighed.

* * *

 **A/N: Ahh, we all love a big kept secret, don't we? Let me know what you think AJ is hiding! Keep the reviews coming.**


	10. Dear Diary

**A/N: WARNING - Some real, deep, intense stuff in this chapter!**

* * *

 **Dear Diary**

* * *

"I can't believe you really kept all of this." AJ admitted, sitting in her old bedroom which had been redecorated, but looking through all her old journals and diaries her mom had kept in a box in the atic.

"I figured you'd want to look back on them one day." Nancy smiled. She was over being angry with her daughter, especially when her grandchildren were so young, they had plenty of time to spend together, if AJ allowed her to. She knew better than anyone that AJ didn't have a good relationship with them, but she was hoping that could change.

"I forgot how much I wrote in them." AJ admitted, flicking through the pages in the diaries.

Punk was downstairs with the kids and Josh whilst Dan was making lunch for everybody.

"Does Phil know, April?" Nancy asked curiously, "Does he know about-"

"No." AJ replied quickly, looking in one of her journals, reading the entry she had made and frowning. She forgot how much private things she had wrote in them, private memories she didn't want to remember.

"Don't you think he has some right to know?" Nancy said, "Who says it will change anything?" She questioned.

"He might look at me differently, treat me differently… he might think I'm crazy or strange." She said, "I don't know, mom." AJ said.

"There's no need to be frightened." Nancy said, "I can see he loves you very much." Nancy smiled softly as AJ nodded.

"I know he does… and I want it to stay that way. I don't want to lose him because of something in the past." AJ said, "I've moved on from it all and I don't want to bring it all back up." She shook her head.

"You've not moved on, honey. All you did was move away." She shook her head, "Talking about it with him might help." She said.

"I'd rather talk to anyone about it, but him." AJ admitted, "What if he doesn't want to touch me anymore?" She frowned.

"He is not going to be put off you, April. What happened wasn't your fault."

"I encouraged it." AJ said.

"You were a child." Nancy argued.

"I was fifteen."

"And clueless to what you were doing." Nancy said, "You were vulnerable." She said, "Isn't there maybe a chance he'll have figured it out anyway? You've always had trouble letting people in… boys… how did you manage to allow him to get so close?" She wondered.

"Because I love him and he loves me. He actually cares about me and isn't using me." AJ said, "He's sincere and sweet… not just after me for my body." AJ said.

"Then if that's the case, you should be able to tell him without being worried he will react in some… outrageous way." She said, "Secrets within a marriage never work, April." She shook her head.

"Well my marriage has lasted two years with a secret and we've done fine." AJ argued, "How do I even explain to him? Where do I even start?" She shook her head, for once seeking comfort in her mother.

"You start at the beginning and you go through every single detail, no matter how painful it is for you. Just like you told me and your father all those years ago. If you could pluck up the courage to tell us, you can tell him, sweetheart." Nancy said, "You're stronger than you realise." She smiled.

"You think he will understand?" AJ wondered.

"Definitely." Nancy said, "It's not something he has a right to judge you for. You weren't to blame, and he'll see that." She said.

"I just don't like thinking about it." AJ sighed, tears welling her eyes. She knew coming back here would be hard. She'd gone onto Punk about it being hard seeing her parents again, but it was facing all of this, her past, that was scaring her the most.

"I know you don't." Nancy shuffled closer to her, "But think about it like this… you tell him, you're gonna feel so much better that he knows and you're not hiding anything from him. I think he'll hug you and tell you it's alright and you'll both be fine." She said, "The hard part is taking that step to tell him. Once you get there, everything will be fine." She promised her as AJ sighed, wiping her running tears that rolled down her cheeks.

"Maybe once I tell him… he could read these." AJ looked down at her journals and diaries, "It might be easier to understand for him."

"Or it might be harder for him to take in." Nancy said, "I didn't have a great time reading these. I sat in tears with your father the night we read some pages." She said, "He loves you, and reading these might hurt him and leave him speechless." She said as AJ nodded.

"But these have everything he'll need to know." AJ said.

"Tell him yourself first." Nancy suggested, "Leave these for when he's ready." She suggested, "Maybe me and your father could give you both some time alone. We'll look after Harry and Louisa." Nancy suggested as AJ nodded, tears still rising in her eyes the more and more she thought about it.

"I'm scared, mom." She choked out a sob as Nancy wrapped an arm around her comfortingly.

"Don't be scared." Nancy said, "Everything will be ok. Just be honest with him." She said.

"I'm scared he'll leave me." AJ cried.

"He won't." Nancy said, "You two have been together for five years. I see the way he looks at you, stands up for you, has your back… he won't leave." Nancy said, "Now c'mon. Dry your eyes. Lunch will be ready soon." She told her daughter, cupping her cheeks softly, "Tomorrow night… you tell him." She said as AJ nodded.

* * *

The next night, Punk and AJ had decided to just have a quiet night in, which was actually better for AJ in her case, whilst their children were being looked after by their eager grandparents. Harry was a little unsure and was quite distressed to be left with people he'd only known for a few days, but his mom and dad promised it'd be ok and he believed them.

"Are you still pissed off with me?" Punk asked, sitting in their double bed, watching AJ move the pizza box and sit back down beside him, turning into him, crossing her legs and shaking her head.

"No…. I was never pissed off." She said, "I just don't like when you say those things." She said, "It makes me think that… that's what you think of me." She said.

"Well I don't… it was just a joke." Punk said, "I just put it down to you being stressed with everything… your job, seeing your parents again." He shrugged, "But hey, you got what you wanted from your mom today." Punk said, nodding over to the box that held all of her journals.

"Yeah." AJ mumbled softly.

"Well go on." Punk smiled, "Show me something." He said as she looked across at him with horror, "What'd you write about? Fairytales?" He mocked as she chuckled a little.

"Not quite." She shook her head.

"Well what? Tell me?" He said as AJ stood up, walking over to the box and collecting a journal from it, one she had kept when she was around the age of 15, going on 16. Even though her mother had told her not to, she felt like this was the only way she could begin to tell him, she would deal with his questions later on, but she wanted to get straight to the point.

"Would you like to read or shall I?" She asked, sliding back into bed, sitting across from him with her legs crossed, opening up the journal.

"You go." Punk smiled, folding his arms and leaning against the headboard as she nodded, looking down at the paper.

"Ok." AJ whispered, taking a deep breath. She wasn't going to read it all, or else she'd be there for days, but she planned on reading enough for him to understand.

"Today was the day my science project was due in. I'd asked mom and dad all week to help me with it, but they had been too busy finding Robert new school books that he had lost. If that was me, I'd just have to deal with it. Where is the equality?" She laughed a little to herself as Punk smiled, "But it was ok… it was ok because Mr Smith, or Jacob he gets me to call him, spoke to my science teacher and I got let off the hook. I don't want him to keep doing this for me. I should get in trouble like the other kids if they don't do the work. No wonder I have no friends with all the special treatment I get. Anyway, I seen Jacob again after school, I told mom I was stopping by to the library on my way home, she just waved her hand and told me to be quiet because she was on the phone to Aunt Carol, so I suppose she wouldn't have been worrying about me." She read as Punk listened closely. He wasn't very sure where it was going.

"I keep wondering what I'd do if mom and dad found out. Dad would go crazy. I know what's happening isn't right, but a part of me… a part of me enjoys it." AJ shook her head, "Today he told me I was beautiful. No one had ever told me that. It felt nice. Then he done something he'd never done before." She said, skimming the next few lines and gulping, "He put his hand between my legs and he asked me if it felt good. I only said yes because it seemed like that's what he wanted to hear. I wasn't sure what it was he was trying to do, and then he put his hand down my jeans, and panties, and it began to feel better." AJ shook her head, not being able to look up at him.

"April." Punk croaked, "Please tell me this was just your imagination." He clasped his hands over his mouth as AJ looked up at him with glassy eyes. The writing took a turn, suddenly he felt like he couldn't breathe, even if it was a lot of years ago, it hurt to listen to her go on like this.

"It wasn't." AJ shook her head as Punk looked at her in disbelief and shock.

"What… why…. Is he-"

"Just let me go on." AJ squeaked, "Please." She said as he stared at her intensely, nodding and allowing her to go on as much as it as killing him, confusing him and hurting him.

It was the only way she was finding it bearable. She could never have sat and looked him in the eye and told him what had gone on.

"We'd only ever kissed. He kept asking me if it felt good and I kept saying yes. He done it for quite a while and then when he stopped he said maybe next time we'd swap places. He seemed excited about so I nodded and he let me go home. He's the only person I can really talk to in school. All the other teachers don't treat me as nice as he does. At parents night, he told my mom and dad I was the best student he'd ever had." She said, "He said, like always, not to tell anyone, they'd be jealous of how well we got on, even my mom and dad. I trusted him and I didn't want to go against his asking." She said, "So I went home and showered before dinner. I felt a little strange after he touched me. I knew that it was some form of closeness that didn't just happen between anyone. But he's the only one who pays attention to me. He makes me feel good about myself, and he listens to me."

"Stop." Punk shook his head, "Please stop." He begged her as she looked up at him, closing the journal. She looked across at him, watching him place his head in his hands, rubbing his face with frustration and anger possibly, she didn't know. She didn't know how he was feeling. Not good she imagined.

"Please say something." She whispered.

"What the hell does that all mean, April?" Punk asked her bluntly. He couldn't believe it. The words were so innocent and clueless. It was like he wanted to go back fourteen years and tell her that what she thought wasn't right. What was going on was completely wrong.

"What do you think it means?" AJ mumbled, "I didn't know how else to tell you." She shook her head, "I thought it'd be easier if I read it from one of my journals I kept." She said.

"Why haven't you told me before?" He shook his head, "Does your parents know? Does anyone know?" He worried. Had she been carrying this with her for all these years?

"They know." AJ nodded, "It started when I was fifteen. It started off with him complimenting me after every lesson. Then he started telling me to stay behind for extra practise." She said, "Being a teenage girl who no one paid attention to, who felt like she was invisible, having this guy pay so much attention to me was fun." She shrugged.

"Fun?" Punk's voice broke, "What age was he?" Punk asked.

"38." AJ looked down as Punk shut his eyes.

"And you were fifteen?" Punk asked as she nodded, "Didn't you know that was going on was wrong?" He asked her.

"No. Because for once in my life someone was being nice to me. When I was at home, I got nothing. When I went to school, I got bullied. So for him to be nice to me, I just went along with anything he said." She said, "Don't you think I'm disgusted with it. As soon as I realised what was going on I never slept, or ate, or left my bedroom. When I realised he was married with a family, and had been accused of sexual abuse before, I felt repulsed… but before I knew anything, when he was being sweet to me, I didn't care." She said.

"Why did you let him touch you?" Punk shook his head.

"He persuaded me it was ok. It was good." She said, a lump in her throat, "I never liked it. I always felt like it was wrong, but it didn't matter because he was being nice to me, the way no one else was." She said as Punk looked across at her. He didn't know whether he was angry or upset. Probably both.

"Did he…" Punk leaned forward as she nodded, watching him stand up and place his hands in his head, "And none of this felt wrong to you?" Punk shook his head, finding it impossible to understand, but he didn't know what it was like.

"Are you here to understand me or are you here to lecture me?" AJ stood up, "Of course it felt wrong, but I was a silly, stray, confused little girl who was being manipulated by some paedophile." She spat, "What'd you expect me to do?" She choked out in sob.

"Didn't you tell anyone?" Punk asked in almost a cry.

"I eventually told my parents." AJ nodded.

"After how long?" Punk asked.

"A year." AJ said as Punk shook his head.

"He… this guy abused you for a year?" Punk shook his head. He felt sick, he felt angry, he felt the need to never let his wife out of his sight again. He couldn't believe this had happened to her. He could have never guessed. She was so strong.

"Towards the end, when he'd began keeping me back from school for hours, I started telling him I wasn't sure I wanted to keep doing this anymore. The more and more time passed, he got less nice and more… violent. He stopped saying nice things, he would just start ripping my clothes off." She said, "So he got worried and started being nice again… I began to figure it out and I realised this whole time I had been used. I also seen him kissing his wife one morning when she was dropping him off at school." She said, "I told my parents and they didn't believe me at first, but once I proved it to them, and I was practically crying to them, they believed me." She said, "I think a part of them didn't want to because it was so horrific." She said, "I never realised how bad it was until police got involved, and statements were needed, and I realised it was illegal what he was doing." She said, "But I thought he was just being nice to me. He was paying attention to me and being there for me when no one else was." She shrugged.

"Didn't you realise that friends don't do that?" He questioned.

"I'd never had friends." She said as he ran his hand through his hair, "And with the sex… I wasn't exactly an expert. I was raised in a holy house. I wasn't allowed to watch explicit movies or read things." She said, "And he took advantage of that." She said.

"I feel sick." Punk admitted, taking a seat at the bottom of the bed and putting his hand over his forehead, "Was that why you were home schooled after that?" He asked.

"Yeah." AJ whispered, sitting down next to him, "I was so afraid of telling you. I thought you'd look at me differently. I thought you'd think I was disgusting."

"I would never think that." Punk said, "This wasn't your fault."

"Sometimes I feel like it was." She said, "I never said no to him. I always just let him do whatever it was he wanted." She said, "So aren't I to blame too?"

"You were a child." Punk hissed, "Don't be ridiculous. You didn't know what was going on. He did. He knew fine well."

"He's in prison." AJ whispered to him.

"Good." Punk spat angrily.

"Are you angry I never told you?" She asked.

"No." Punk turned to her, "I don't think it's something you could have just told me about. You're so strong." He shook his head, "So strong."

"I thought you wouldn't love me anymore." She cried as he shook his head.

"I will always love you." Punk said, wrapping his arm around her, "What happened to you was never your fault, whether you think it or not." He said, "Don't ever think it was your fault." He said, kissing her head. His heart broke for her. His heart hurt to know she had been hurt like this. In such a vulnerable and personal way, "What happened after?" He asked curiously, still holding her into him.

"My parents could barely look at me. They blamed themselves. I was home schooled. I barely ate or slept much. My relationship with my parents and brother started getting cold. I started shutting everyone out and when I finally finished my school course at home, I made the decision to leave." She said, "I wanted a fresh start and I wanted away from all the people who I felt… didn't care about me." She said, "I know they did care, they still do, and they begged me to stay, they told me I was too vulnerable for the world on my own, but I knew I wasn't. I'd put a guard after everything that happened, happened." She said.

"Why did you feel comfortable doing burlesque?" Punk asked with confusion.

"I surprised my own self at that." She said, "Like you know, I never intended to become a burlesque dancing, I met Kady and she was my first friend. Imagine that, making your first friend at eighteen." She shook her head, "She taught me dances and how to fire breathe, and a part of me felt strong when I was doing it, I felt like I could be human up there, and what happened never crossed my mind. I was proving to myself that I was comfortable in my body, even after all that happened." She said.

"I never knew that." Punk sighed, "I knew it meant a lot to you… your job… but I never knew that." He shook his head.

"When I started getting boyfriends, I'd keep my guard up, I done the same to you even though I knew you were different." She said, "I was so afraid of getting hurt that I'd make them wait, so I knew they were in it for me and not for my body. I knew the feeling of being used and I wouldn't feel like that again. I promised myself." She said, "And for a while, the boys I went with, they just reminded me of him, certain things they'd do I'd see myself back in that classroom, but then… then I met you. And you were just you. And you made me feel safe. And being with you didn't remind me of being back in that classroom, being with you made everything that happened disappear, because it was just me and you. Nothing else would matter." She looked up at him as he smiled softly. Her words although painful seemed healed.

"You should have told me this before. I would have always understood." Punk said, "And I guess it all makes sense now." He admitted. The insecurity, the reason behind her job, the reason she had trouble trusting and letting people in, there was finally a root to the problem, a very disturbing and tragic root that he only wished he could take away from her memory.

"I was so scared to tell you." She admitted, leaning up straight, "I knew it wouldn't be easy for you to hear." She said as he nodded, agreeing with her there.

"I just… I can't believe it." He admitted, "It's so horrible." He sighed as she nodded, "Is this what you want to write about?" He wondered curiously.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I'd like to tell my story. I'd like for a little girl… or boy, to pick up my story and understand that what they're going through, or have been through, will get better." She said, "They will grow up strong, and they'll find someone who loves them." She said, "I want other people who can relate to realise they are worth more than the sexual abuse they suffered." She told him.

"You're incredible." He said with amazement. He couldn't believe her strength and her strive to help others through difficult times.

She shook her head, "I just want to move on. With my husband and my children, and hopefully build a better relationship with my family. I guess I held it against them for everything that happened, but I know that's wrong. They aren't bad people." She said, looking up at him, only wondering what he was thinking.

"I love you." He said. That's what he was thinking.

"I love you too." She smiled, leaning up and placing a kiss on his lips.

He was still in utter shock and still completely horrified. He was sure they would talk further about it when AJ was ready to talk about it more, but for now he knew and he knew that he still loved her with all his heart. He couldn't believe her strength

Later that night they fell asleep, AJ curled into him tightly as he held her protectively. He promised he would never let anything happen to her from the minute he met her and he would continue to do so. It was horrible to find out about this. He lay awake just thinking about it all, not being able to get images from his head whilst he held her as she slept, but what had happened to her only made him admire her for her strength and courage. They could get passed this. They were strong enough. It was just still a little shocking for him to take in.

* * *

 **A/N: Who thinks they'll get through it? Let me know what you think!**


	11. Digesting It

**Digesting It**

* * *

AJ woke up the next morning to an empty hotel room. She thought Punk would have been in the shower if he wasn't in the bedroom, but he wasn't there. She wasn't worried. All his clothes were still here, but he really wished he was there when she woke up.

She did feel better for telling him about everything, and it seemed to make sense to him, but she knew it wouldn't have been easy for him. If she found out something tragic about his past, as horrifying as hers, she'd feel torn for him.

She showered and got dressed just in time for him to come through the room door, clearly visible that he had gone out for a run with his sweating frame. He only ever ran when he was frustrated, or didn't know what to do.

"Hey." AJ smiled.

"Hey." Punk nodded, putting his headphones over on the table, "I'm just gonna get a quick shower and then we'll go get the kids." Punk said as she nodded casually, watching him get his clothes together.

"Phil." She stood up.

"Yeah?" Punk said.

"Are you ok?" She asked him with concern.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "I just wanted to clear my head." He told her with a small smile as she nodded, "I won't be long." He told her, walking away into the bathroom, turning the shower on and stripping out of his clothes.

Truth was, he had been out running since 5am. He couldn't sleep even if he tried, he just kept thinking about it all, he assumed going for a run would help him forget a little but it didn't help that much. He was still having a hard time processing it all. There were still so many questions he wanted answered, but then he questioned himself on if he really wanted to talk about it again. He might not have known her back then, but he felt like he should have done something. He knew it was impossible but that's how he felt. He only wished someone could have been there for her, to tell her what was going on wasn't right and had to be stopped. The only good thing that had came out of it all that she had told him, was that the teacher was in prison. Rotting hopefully.

* * *

Punk showered and got dressed and they were eventually headed over to her parents house to get the kids. They didn't speak much, but AJ wasn't alarmed, she was expecting it. He would come round. She guessed the shock had sunk in now and he was just letting it all digest.

"Mommy!" Harry exclaimed, running down the hall from the kitchen as AJ crouched down to catch him, hugging him tightly.

"Oh, I missed you, baby." She kissed his cheek. There was a sense of security when she seen her children now. Safety and reassurance that she wasn't back there, being abused, she was here with her husband and children.

"Hey, where are my hugs?" Punk stood behind AJ as Harry wriggled from him and ran to him as he lifted him up, "What did you get up to last night?" Punk smiled to his son, who he had missed very much.

"Watched a movie… had cookies." Harry told his father as AJ smiled.

"I think he ate one too many cookies." Nancy came into the hall with crossed arms, "Didn't you, mister?" She smiled as Harry grinned, "Your father is feeding Louisa." Nancy smiled to AJ who nodded.

"I'll go get their things together." AJ announced, walking away upstairs as Punk looked across at Nancy.

"Harry, why don't you go help your mom?" Nancy said as Punk let him down, watching him run away and climb the stairs.

AJ's mother could tell AJ had told Punk. They both came in gloomily and down. Their spirits seemed to have disappeared. She could just tell.

"She told you, didn't she?" Nancy said as Punk nodded, following her into the living room.

"I'm not sure what to do to be honest." Punk admitted, "Is there something I should say?" He asked.

"Just be there for her." Nancy said, "I know it's hard. Try being her mother who could have done something to stop it." She said, "You just have to understand her and comfort her."

"How couldn't she have known?" Punk sat down, "I don't understand." He shook his head, "At fifteen, something like that, she should know is wrong." He said.

"She didn't. She'd never had friends. She was a very clueless girl. I'm assuming that's why that bastard picked on her." Nancy said, sitting down beside him, "I know how it feels. You wish you could go back and do something. You wish you could have been there to shake her and tell her to open her eyes to what was going on." She said, "But there's no point in thinking back to what you could have done. You just gotta move on." Nancy said.

"Everything makes sense." He said, "It makes sense." He told her, "Even her career makes sense now." He admitted as Nancy nodded.

"You could never have guessed a thing like that." Nancy shook her head, "You'll get through it."

"She thinks I'm not gonna love her because of it." He said.

"And she'll realise she's being stupid." Nancy said, "I know you love her." She smiled softly.

"I think that's why it's hurting so much." He admitted, "She wants to write about it. I assume that's why she wanted the journals." He said, "I want to be proud but then… I think, why the hell should she be writing about that. She didn't deserve any of it." He said.

"Like I said, you can't keep thinking back. Think towards the future. You'll both get through it. And if writing about it is what April wants, then we should support it, maybe it'll help some kid out there who like her, isn't realising what is happening." She shrugged.

"You know, she really wants to build a better relationship with you, and her dad." He told her as Nancy smiled.

"We do too. Especially now we have grandchildren." She smiled with happiness, "We should have done this years ago, but I guess we were stubborn." Nancy admitted as Dan walked in the room with Louisa in his arms.

"They weren't any trouble were they?" Punk asked nervously as he took Louisa from Dan, having missed his baby girl lots, smiling down at her as she smiled back. She was enough to make him smile and remember how wonderful his life was.

"Oh, no. Not at all." Dan said, "The little guy is funny." He said, "Quick witted. Good humour." Dan said as Punk smiled. It was always nice to hear good things about the kids.

"And he's as cute as anything." Nancy added, "She's just a little princess." She smiled towards Louisa.

"I'm sure this won't be their last stay here." He said.

"Oh, no. Definitely not." Nancy said strictly, "Any time you and April want a break, just call us, we'll even fly out to Chicago, won't we Dan?" She turned to her husband who nodded, "We want to be involved." She said as Punk smiled.

"Good." Punk smiled, "They only have my dad." He said as Nancy frowned, "Oh nothing like that. My mom and brother are horrible people." He said, "They were horrible to April, I don't imagine them being nicer to my kids." He said.

"Well… they don't deserve the pleasure of knowing them." Dan said as Punk nodded whilst AJ came into the living room with Harry and his backpack.

"Ready!" Harry piped up as Punk smiled.

* * *

Since Harry had been cooped up between the hotel and AJ's parents house, Punk and AJ decided to take him to the park, to also give Louisa some fresh air. They took a seat on a bench whilst keeping an eye on Harry as he wandered away into the park.

"I remember this park." AJ smiled softly as Punk turned to her, "It used to just have a swing and a chute." She told him, "I stopped coming when I realised you're meant to go to the park with your parents or friends." She said.

"I think your mom feels really bad about what happened to you. I know I couldn't have done anything to help you, but they could have, and I think that's eating away at her." He said.

"Well yeah, maybe if they paid more attention to me I wouldn't have grown so attached to this guy. And maybe if I was allowed to grow up normally and watch explicit movies and read gossip magazines and have the 'talk' with your mom, then maybe I would have understood that was going on wasn't right." She said, "I'm not blaming them. That isn't fair. But yeah, they could have done more." She nodded.

"Do you still think about it?" He asked curiously.

"Sometimes. Not as much as I used to. Since I met you it's always stayed at the back of my mind. Having kids, getting married, it's helping it fade a little." She said, "I'll never forget it. How could I? But it's gotten better to cope with through the years." She said.

"How do you know this guy is still in prison?" Punk asked.

"He was released after the sentence he served for abusing me, and then he re-offended the same offence and was put back in for longer. My lawyer got in touch with me about it. Said he thought I should know." She shrugged, "It didn't make me happy though, why would it? He'd done the same thing to another girl? Why would I be happy about that?" He said.

"At least he is locked up." Punk said, "If he was thirty eight at the time… he'll be an old guy now." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"I don't like thinking about him." She shook her head.

"Did he hit you or… hurt you?" He asked. He wasn't sure having this conversation at a public park was a good idea, but they were sat over at the corner. It wasn't like anyone could hear.

"No. He never hurt me. Just… he began to get really forceful. He began asking me to do things I didn't even know the meaning of." She shook her head, looking down, "That's when I started to understand he was not my friend." She whispered.

"I only wish I could have been there." Punk shook his head.

"You would have been just like all the other kids." She said, "Trust me."

"No. I wouldn't have." Punk said.

"Trust me." She whispered, "You would have looked right past me. No one knew what he was doing to me. When they did, and he was put in prison, it just gave them more fuel to say shit to me."

"Didn't no one sympathise with you?" Punk shook his head, "I don't understand that in a full school, you didn't have one person."

"My school wasn't very big. Most kids lived in poverty. Some teachers weren't even qualified teachers. I was the stuck up, clueless, catholic rich girl." She shrugged, "No one had time for me." She said, "You don't have to understand it all. I just need to know you aren't disgusted or horrified by it."

"Of course I'm not." Punk said, "I mean, yeah I'm horrified at it, but not at you, at the situation, at him." He said, "You were just a kid." He shook his head, "I don't understand how a person could be so disgusting and sleazy." He said, "I mean… it's rape, isn't it?" He turned to her.

"No." AJ said, "I never told him to stop it."

"You had no idea what was going on, April. He was manipulating you. Taking advantage of you."

"I still never told him to stop it." She said, "In fact I encouraged it, because I thought he was being my friend." She said, "That's why I feel disgusted with myself sometimes." She shrugged.

"But you didn't know that his intentions weren't genuine. And even if they were it's still disgusting." He said.

"I know but that's not the way the court dealt with it. In a way, him raping me would have been looked at a lot better. At least I would have resisted and I would have understood what he was doing was wrong. He messed with my head. Manipulated me completely." She said.

"It's still just hard for me to understand." He admitted.

"I know." AJ nodded, "It will be. I don't expect you to understand right away and move on." She said, "We'll be ok though, won't we?" She said as he nodded, "And you know you can ask me anything and I'll answer it. Even if it's something you don't think I'll be comfortable answering." She said, "I want to be honest with you." She said as he nodded.

"I know." He said, "I know." He repeated, pressing a kiss against her head as she leaned into him.

* * *

Later that night at their hotel, the kids were sleeping and so were Punk and AJ, well, that's what AJ thought. She woke up through the night, walking by the beds and over to the small sitting area where Punk was sat on the couch in his boxers looking through one of her diaries. Maybe it would have been better for him to take it al in alone. Maybe her being beside him would make it more painful for him.

"Hey." She whispered, "It's late." She said, sitting down beside him as he closed the diary, placing it on the coffee table and rubbing his hands over his eyes.

"You didn't hesitate to add detail, did you?" Punk turned to her as she shrugged.

"I liked detail." She smiled, "What did you read?" She asked him.

"You were late for class." Punk said, "He kept you behind again after school and said that there are ways you can thank him for helping you." He turned to her as she frowned, "This is brutal stuff, AJ." He said, leaning back against the couch.

"Well it's what happened." She whispered.

"You were just a kid though." Punk shook his head, "I want to jump into the diary and shake you around for you to understand what is going on."

"That was the problem. That's why he done what he done. Because I was so clueless." She said, "Don't you think that if I knew, that if I had friends and I knew that what he was doing to me wasn't normal, don't you think I would have stopped him?" She said as he nodded.

"It's just hard." Punk sighed. He was finding it hard to take it all in. Now that the shock was over and it had sunk in, it was pretty painful to digest and understand.

"We go home tomorrow. We can get back to normality. Everything will get better." She said, placing her hand on his chest and looking up at him, curling against him, "Promise me you won't leave." She whispered.

"I'd never leave." Punk told her truthfully as she smiled, leaning up and pressing her lips against his, pulling him down with her as her back hit the soft couch, feeling his hands travel up her night vest, cupping her breasts whilst keeping his lips attached to hers. It was reassuring intimacy. The kind they had when they were stuck and lost for any more words.

He slid her pyjama shorts down, finding her with no panties on anyway, shimmying his boxers down for his length to spring free. He had doubts about this. He thought it would be different but like AJ said last night, when they were together it was just them two, nothing else mattered.

"Please… I need you." AJ moaned, parting her legs a little for him gain access, feeling his length enter her in one swift movement. She felt full and happy and relaxed and at eased and all the wonderful adjectives in the world to describe perfect moments. He always made her feel like this.

"Fuck." Punk hissed quietly, leaning down and capturing her lips again whilst her legs wrapped around him to hold him in closer. She didn't want to let him go. She was afraid she'd lose him if she did.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think.**


	12. Old Faces

**Old Faces**

* * *

Although having left New Jersey with opened up wounds, AJ felt really good when leaving, she felt like they had came and done the right thing, and yes, it had been hard the past few days but her relationship with her brother and parents had gotten better, even just within a few days.

It was still hard going between her and Punk. They weren't shutting each other out by any means, but it was tough, she didn't expect it to be easy. As soon as they got home he headed straight out to the gym. He had a habit of avoiding his problems, so she spent her time putting the kids to bed after a long, tiring flight home.

"When can we see Auntie Kady and Uncle Connor?" Harry asked as AJ tucked him into bed, pulling the duvet up and over him, crouching down at the side of his bed, brushing his messy hair from his face.

"You miss them?" AJ smiled as he nodded, rubbing his tired eyes, "Well, I promise, we'll go see them both tomorrow with your sister." AJ smiled, "Did you have a nice thanksgiving?" She asked him with a warm smile. Despite him being just three, and a child, he was her best friend at times. He gave the warmest, sweet little cuddles ever, and he made any dark cloud hanging over her disappear. Her love for her children would be always unconditional.

"Yeah." Harry nodded, "Do we get to see gran and granda again? And Uncle Josh?" He asked as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, I think so. Would you like that?" AJ smiled.

"Yeah." Harry said quietly, getting more and more tired, "Where is daddy?" He asked. Normally his father and mother were both present to tuck him into bed, unless his mother was working.

"He's just gone out for a little while. He'll be here in the morning." She stroked his cheek softly, "You get some sleep, baby. Ok?" She smiled, "I love you." She said, pressing a kiss on his cheek and switching his night light off as he closed his eyes over, leaving the room and closing the door over quietly, wrapping her cardigan around her tightly as she walked into her and Punk's bedroom, smiling down at Louisa sleeping peacefully. She was a very peaceful, content baby. She loved to be held and rarely ever cried.

Since both children were successfully fast asleep, she headed downstairs just in time to be met by Punk coming in the door, gym bag slung over his arm as he headed for the kitchen.

"Good work out?" AJ asked him, watching him take a bottle of water from the fridge and turn around to look at her, nodding.

"Yeah." Punk smiled, "Harry in bed?" Punk questioned as AJ nodded.

"He was really tired." AJ told him, "I think I'm gonna take him to see Connor and Kady tomorrow. He's dying to see them." She said as Punk nodded.

"Does Kady know?" Punk wondered, "You know… about-"

"No." AJ shook her head, "It's just you, my parents and my brother." She said.

"And soon enough the full world." He added as she tilted her head with confusion, "Well if you plan on writing about it that is."

"What difference does it make if four people know or the world knows? Doesn't change what he done to me." AJ shook her head, "Why do I get the impression you don't want me to do the writing thing anymore?" She folded her arms.

"I just think it's a lot on you. I think it'll be hard for you to go back there again, I don't want you suffering."

"It might make me feel better. Writing it all down, getting my feelings down. I mean… back then when I was writing about it, I had no idea it was all so wrong, it will be different to write about it knowing now what he done to me." AJ said, "Plus, if I can help one little girl out there who sees my book and realises that she is going through the same, and it needs to be stopped, then I say I'm doing pretty good." She said.

"Well you need to think about you first, April. Not anyone else." Punk said.

"I am thinking about me." AJ defended, "What? Would you rather me go back to burlesque? The job you so loved me doing?"

"I've never had a problem with your dancing, I always just thought there were other choices now we had the kids." He said, "I'm not having a dig at you, I think the book idea is good, I just think it's gonna be a lot." He shrugged.

"I'll be ok." AJ whispered to him, "I mean… nothing is even for definite yet, I have to speak to publishing egencies. They might not even take me on if I don't have some sort of a degree." She shrugged.

"No degree. But a powerful story." Punk said, "Do you think celebrities who write autobiographies have degrees?" Punk raised his eyebrows, "Do they my ass." Punk said as AJ smiled.

"So you are alright with me doing it?" AJ asked, "Now that you know I feel like I can really roll with it." She said, "And I want people to be aware." She said, "Things like this can't be ignored." She said.

"Why is it you're suddenly the strong one and I'm the weak one?" He laughed a little.

"You aren't weak." She frowned, making her way over to him, "You're strong for the both of us." She smiled.

"I don't know how you're doing all of this. Even keeping a smile on your face." He said, "After going through so much." He said.

"I have you, don't I? Things started getting good for me as I got older. I have you, our beautiful children, I'm starting to reconnect with my own family, we have a secure house, jobs, regardless of my status right now." She said, "I'm happy, Phil." She said as he just looked down, "You don't think I'm happy?"

"How can you be truly happy with something like that on your mind?" He shook his head, "It's sunk in, everything that he done, it is sinking in, as hard as it is, but I just can't wrap my head around how you're managing to stay standing on your feet." He shook his head.

"Because I got justice. He went to jail. I grew up. I met the love of my life and married him. I had my happily ever after. That's why I'm still standing. If I constantly thought about it as a negative in my life, you're right, I wouldn't be standing." She said.

"You think of it as a positive?" He raised his eyebrows.

"In a way, yeah." She nodded, "I'm a lot stronger for it. Maybe that strength comes across as resistant. I put a guard up after he done what he done to me, and it helped me to know who to trust, and how to deal with being on my own." She said, "It might have gave me sever trust issues and a lot of insecurities, but I got over them." She said, "You don't have to be sad for me. You can still tell me your awful jokes." She smiled to him as he smiled back, "Don't tip toe around me as if someone has died." She shook her head. She could tell he maybe just felt out of place and unsure of what to say or do, but she didn't want him to feel like that, in fact, she just wanted him to feel normal.

"It just sucks." Punk whispered to her, "I think it hurts more because I wasn't in your life at the time. I just wish I was there." He shook his head.

"Sometimes I do too." She smiled, "You'd be all sweet, cute… charming." She imagined on the spot, "That dirty blonde hair, one of your caps on backwards." She smiled from memory of the pictures his father had showed her of him in high school, "And you would have told me you had my back, you would have opened my eyes and I would have gloved on to you, never let you go." Her voice faded out to whisper.

"I wish that could have been the case." He nodded, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, "Do you think you're gonna tell Kady?" He asked her.

"Yeah. I'll have to. She'll start asking what I'm writing about and I'm not gonna keep it from her." She said, "Maybe you could fill Connor in." She said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah. We'll go round tomorrow. I'll let him know." Punk nodded, "I'm surprised you've got so close to me right now. I stink." He laughed to himself.

"You smell like a man." She grinned.

"And I'm assuming that's a good thing?" He said as she nodded.

"It is, but a shower wouldn't go a miss for you." She smiled as he laughed.

"You know I struggle reaching my back." She said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as they left the kitchen, "You might need to come in and help me."

"You really struggle that much?" She smiled up at him as he nodded.

"Really." Punk smiled, "See." Punk demonstrated whilst walking up stairs in front of her, placing his hand round his back, "I only get this far." He faked as she smiled.

"I see." She nodded, "As long as we don't wake Louisa." She said with concern.

"Oh, who said we'd be making noise?" He turned to her as she just shook her head. There was the Phil she missed and loved. The one who had been lost for the past few days. She wanted him to know that he didn't have to be said. She knew it hurt for him to take in, but they'd get through it, they had a good life going for them, they had no reason to dwell on the past and constantly reminisce sadly.

* * *

The next day after Punk and AJ paid Kady and Connor a visit with the kids, as well as telling them both about AJ's past which they thought they deserved to know about, AJ decided it was time to go check out a publishing agency near by. It was hard to see Kady so upset and Connor so shocked, they definitely weren't expecting it, but both were very supportive and understanding, and Kady now understood why AJ wanted to leave Burlesque and write, and was now very supportive of it all.

"We'll go across the road and grab some ice-cream." Punk told his wife, pushing Louisa in her stroller whilst Harry stood close beside him.

"Yeah, ok." AJ nodded, "I shouldn't be long. I hope." She told him.

"You'll be fine." He nodded, pressing a kiss on her cheek, "Remember there are other places around so don't get upset if they turn you down." He told her as she nodded.

"Mommy, where you going?" Harry asked curiously.

"Well..." AJ crouched down, "Mommy is getting a new job. I'm gonna write a book." She smiled to him, flicking under his chin playfully.

"Like a bed time story?" Harry asked curiously.

"Not quite like a bed time story." AJ shook her head, "A lot more pages… and a lot less pictures." She smiled, "You be good and enjoy some ice-cream, ok? Look after your father." She kissed his head as Punk smiled. She always said it round the wrong way. She was always telling Harry to keep an eye on him, as if he was the child.

"You'll be fine." Punk nodded to her, watching her smile and head away into the building as he crossed the road to the ice-cream shop, having Harry practically bouncing beside him with excitement.

She'd made an appointment of course after phoning early this morning, and was surprised to get fitted in on the same day she called. She was barely prepared, but there was nothing really for her to prepare with. She knew what she was after and what she wanted to do, she just needed the materials and the help to go ahead with it.

"April-" A woman poked her head out of an office in one of the buildings floors. AJ had barely sat down for a minute, but she supposed it'd be better to get taken right away. She'd sit and worry herself up.

"It's lovely to meet you. My name is Julie." Julie, blonde hair with glasses extended her hand as AJ shook it.

"April." AJ smiled politely.

"Well please, take a seat, April." Julie said, sitting back behind her desk as AJ took a seat, "I assume you're interested in working with our publishing company?"

"Yeah." AJ nodded.

"And do you come from a writing background. Have you got any sort of degrees or qualifications?" She asked.

"Well… no, actually-" AJ said as Julie's features dropped, "But I did write a lot as a kid." She said, "In fact…" She looked into her over the shoulder bag, opening up the flap and grabbing out one of her journals, passing it to Julie who examined it, "I went through a pretty… bad ordeal." She said, "Really bad." She emphasised, "I want to write about my story to make others aware. I might need help with the professional side of things, but just… give me a blank page and I'll thrive." She said as Julie examined the journal.

"May I ask what the experience you went through was?" She asked curiously.

"I was sexually abused." She said, "When I was fifteen, from my 38 year old teacher." She said as Julie gulped unnoticed, "I'm not doing it for sympathy or attention, I want other little girls and boys to realise that some times, friendly people aren't really your friends." She said, "I can leave you with that journal. I would like it back… but it'd mean a lot if you looked at it." She said as Julie nodded.

"Yeah." Julie nodded, "I will." She smiled across, "Leave me your number." She said, grabbing a card and pen from her desk and sliding it across, "I'll call you soon." She nodded as AJ smiled.

"Thank you." AJ smiled. She didn't just want the go ahead because of her story, but she knew it would play a big part in the process. It seemed positive for just now. Maybe once Julie had read a little in her journal she'd make up her mind on a definite answer. She wouldn't let her down if she gave her the opportunity to write for her.

She left the office room, closing the door behind her and walking on, not even noticing herself bump into the larger man that was walking across her frame.

"Oh, I'm so sorry-" She paused, looking up at the man, she knew him, "Tom?" She shook her head.

"April?" Tom, her ex, cheating boyfriend said, "What are you doing here?" He shook his head.

"I had an appointment." AJ said, "What are you doing here?"

"I work here." Tom laughed a little, "You don't remember me telling you?"

"It was a long time ago." AJ shook her head.

"You're looking… great." Tom smiled as AJ nodded.

"You too." AJ replied weakly. Why should she have had interest in the man who cheated on her?

"It was nice to see you actually." Tom admitted.

"Yeah, you too." AJ smiled genuinely, "I better get going." She said as he nodded.

"Ok… maybe I'll see you around." He said as she just nodded casually, walking away out of the floor to catch the elevator.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	13. Reminiscing

**Reminiscing**

* * *

"Well… how did it go?" Punk asked after AJ joined him and the kids across the road in a small cafe. He was in the middle of feeding Louisa whilst Harry was quite happy enjoying his ice-cream. He could tell from AJ's positive smile that things had gone good.

"I think she's gonna give it a chance." AJ nodded, taking a seat across from Punk beside her son, "She wasn't convinced until I told her what I wanted to write about… and then I gave her my journal to look at and she said she'd get back to me." AJ shrugged, "I guess I just need to wait now."

"I'm sure things will work out the way you want them to." Punk said.

"You don't know that." AJ shook her head, "I uh… I bumped into my ex… I totally forgot he worked there." AJ told him before she forgot. She knew he would want to know.

"The guy who cheated on you?" Punk asked.

"Yeah." AJ nodded as Punk just grunted.

"He say anything to you?" He asked.

"No. Just that I was looking good." She said as Punk scowled, "Isn't that the classic ex line for everyone though?" AJ questioned.

"Hey, what's up, you're looking good?" Punk repeated, "I've not said that to any of my ex's before." He said.

"You don't have ex's." AJ shook her head, "You have a long list of girls you've screwed and not called back." She raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, alright." Punk nodded quickly, looking at Harry as AJ just laughed.

"He's too interested in his ice-cream." AJ smiled, playing with her son's hair as he did seem too engaged in his ice-cream to even hear what his father and mother were talking about, "I just fed her before we left Kady's." AJ looked over at Louisa.

"She only took half." Punk reminded her, "Giving her the other half." He said, looking down at Louisa, "You just like to take your time, don't you?" He smiled, pressing a kiss on her head softly.

"I think it's gonna be tough leaving burlesque." She admitted, "Not necessarily the job itself, but the people, the performing-"

"Does it mean we get rid of that snake?" Punk asked with excitement.

"Absolutely not." AJ hissed, "He is a family pet." She argued.

"The only person he likes is you… and even at that, he sometimes looks like he wants to wrap himself around you and squeeze your bones." He said.

"He wraps himself around me because he loves me." AJ smiled cutely, "No. Pipey stays at home with us. Harry loves him." She said, "Don't you, baby?" She turned to Harry who had ice-cream all over his face.

"What?" Harry asked.

"You love Pipey don't you?" She said as Harry nodded whilst AJ turned to Punk with a smirk.

"See." AJ smiled, "He stays."

"He hates me." Punk grunted.

"Because you hate him."

"Well what you do you want me to do? Take him for a walk? Play fetch with him? Pet him?" Punk shook his head.

"Hold him." AJ said, "He loves that." She smiled.

"He is a snake. He is evil. How do I know he isn't going to bite my head off."

"Because he is friendly and trained." AJ said, "You're just a woos." She shook her head as Punk rolled his eyes.

"You're a woos." Punk replied childishly as AJ just laughed.

"Good one."

* * *

They got home eventually and after the rush of dinner, bath time and bed time, Harry and Louisa were both sound asleep, giving AJ and Punk their time to themselves.

"You know I've been thinking more about the future." AJ told Punk, resting into him on the couch, playing with his hand in hers, tracing his finger and hand tattoo's with her finger whilst he watched the sports news carefully.

"What do you mean?" Punk asked her, still looking on at the TV.

"Well I'd really like it if we had Christmas at our house this year. I'd like for my parents and brother to come, and I'd really like your dad to come too." She sighed.

"Why would my dad come? By himself? My mom wouldn't let him." Punk chuckled a little.

"Well I was thinking-"

"Don't" Punk shook his head, turning to her finally, "Don't even go there."

"She hasn't seen the kids yet. Her opinion might change once she sees her grandchildren." AJ sat up as Punk just shook his head.

"AJ, she's a bitch and you know it. She called you a whore for crying out loud."

"Well I can forgive her." AJ shrugged, "Maybe she deserves one more chance."

"She's had enough chances." Punk said.

"But even if we-"

"No, April." Punk said firmly, "She was rude to you, I'm gonna let her say shit to my kids. They see my dad and that's it." He said, "Now drop it or I'm going to bed." He said as she just folded her arms childishly. She just wanted him to listen to her.

"I don't like when you're grumpy." She said.

"I'm not grumpy. I just don't like when you ask stupid questions." Punk replied.

"It wasn't a stupid question, Phil." AJ said.

"It was." Punk said, "It isn't happening." He said.

"Well I still want to have Christmas at our house. With my parents and brother." She said.

"And that's fine." Punk said, "My dad can come round early to see them. Like he always does." Punk said.

"Fine." AJ nodded as Punk turned to her.

"Don't go in a huff with me when you asked a question you already knew the answer to." Punk said, "Me and my mom are never gonna get on. That's the way it is." Punk said, "Her way of hurting me is by treating you like shit, and possibly treating the kids like shit. I'm not gonna put you through that, or the kids." Punk said.

"Is she really that horrible to say something to the kids?" AJ questioned.

"Trust me." Punk nodded, "She'd go there. Very easily. And I would not be held responsible for my actions." Punk said.

"I just want us all to be family. You know?" She sighed.

"We are a family." Punk said.

"A big family. A family that gets on with one another."

"Not all families are perfect, AJ." Punk shook his head, "We'll still have a great Christmas, I promise." He said, "My mom would only bring the atmosphere down." He told her.

"I suppose." AJ nodded lifelessly.

"Come here." Punk waved her over and she curled into him, "She doesn't deserve to be with her grandkids, or have you as a daughter in law. I'm not gonna have her look down on you." He said, "She's better off staying away, trust me." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"I trust you." AJ smiled, leaning up and pressing a kiss on his lips as he kissed back sweetly.

"Is it really Christmas soon?" Punk questioned as he pulled back from the passionate kiss, feeling his wife cuddle into him, "Why couldn't Harry have been born in the Summer?" He questioned, "Wiping me out clean with his birthday on Christmas Eve." He said.

"With all do respect… I don't think it was his fault." AJ laughed, "I can't believe he's gonna be four." She sighed, "I remember having me like it was yesterday… I was so scared." She admitted.

"Scared?" Punk asked, "Why?"

"I don't know." She sat up and looked across at him, "Our first baby. I guess I was also a little worried… I didn't know if you were really in it with me."

"Of course I was." Punk shook his head, "What? You think I would have ran out on you both?" He asked.

"No, not at all." AJ said, "I just didn't know where our relationship stood. Harry was never planned and I was scared you were just going along with it because you felt you had to." She admitted.

"I was nervous at first… obviously. But once it sunk in, I was fine. We'd been together for two years. Were you really that scared?" He wondered.

"A little." She nodded, "I didn't even know if you wanted to have kids or get married. It just happened." She said.

"And I'm glad it did. I wouldn't change it for the world." He said as she smiled.

"He was a cute baby." AJ smiled, remembering.

"I should think so. You were in labour for a full day." He said as she groaned.

"You wouldn't have been able to handle that pain." She cupped his cheek as he laughed.

"I would." Punk nodded as she just smiled cutely.

"No chance. You get all worked up when you get a paper cut." She said as he just smirked.

"You did good though." Punk smiled, "Tough as nails."

" _Just breathe." Punk supported whilst rubbing his girlfriends back as she lay on her side in the hospital bed, 12 hours into a slow, difficult labour._

" _I am breathing!" AJ hissed back at him as he smiled._

" _Good. Just concentrate on it." He told her as she rolled onto her back, holding her stomach and groaning._

" _I don't think I can do this much longer, Phil. Can't I just push?" She asked as Punk took a seat at her bedside._

" _I'm afraid not, April." A nurse said from over in the corner of the room, "You're still not fully dilated." She said._

" _What does that matter?" AJ moaned, "I'm sure I could do it."_

" _Trust me… you couldn't." The nurse smiled sympathetically, "You're doing good." She approached AJ, "We are moving along… just very slowly." She smiled, "Buzz if you need me, I'll be back soon to check how you're getting on." She said, leaving the room as AJ turned to Punk._

" _I don't like her." AJ said quickly._

" _What?" Punk shook his head._

" _She's not in pain… she's just standing there, acting like she knows how this feels." AJ spat._

" _That's why you don't like her?" Punk asked, watching AJ screw her face up suddenly and sit up a little, feeling her grab his hand and squeeze it whilst she waved through another contraction, "Nearly over." Punk watched the monitor, "Just breathe." He stood up, kissing her head and sitting on the edge of her bed beside her, "Nearly done." He said, letting her squeeze the life out of his hand, watching her collapse back after her contraction ended._

" _Why are you so calm?!" AJ slapped his arm as he laughed._

" _Would you rather I freak out? Cause trust me… I am. On the inside." He said, standing up, fixing her pillows for her and sitting back down on the chair beside her bed._

" _Do you think he's gonna like us? What if he hates us?" AJ asked worriedly as Punk just smiled._

" _He'll love us. Trust me." Punk said._

" _You don't know that." AJ shook her head._

" _Why would he hate us?" Punk asked her curiously._

" _I don't know." AJ shrugged. Her head was all over the place. She was a little drugged up, but not too much. She was exhausted and saying whatever came to her mind. She was just so glad he was here. He'd stuck by her through it all, but she still wasn't sure where she stood with him. Yes, they loved one another dearly and the two years they had been together had been the best years of her life, no doubt about it, but she was still worried as to what he actually wanted. Did he really want to be up at 2am changing diapers with her?_

 _A few hours later, AJ was completely drugged on an epidural and all the gas and air she could get, she was still not fully dilated but was now just too exhausted to even think about moaning._

" _Have you always loved me?" AJ questioned with hazy eyes, turning to Punk who was still sat beside her, nodding with a smile. He found it funny- not watching his wife in pain of course, but to see her acting with the gas and air. She was literally saying the most strange of things._

" _Yeah." Punk nodded, "I have." He said._

" _Forever and ever?" She smiled._

" _Forever and ever and ever." He humoured her._

" _You don't make me think of him." AJ said with tired eyes and a slur to her speech, "You make it all go away." She smiled as Punk just nodded and smiled. He assumed it was possibly her ex she was talking about. But he was entertaining it anyway._

" _Good. I'm glad." Punk smiled._

" _Will you always love me? Even if… even if you don't want to?" She asked._

" _I'll never not want to love you, April." Punk smiled._

" _Even if something bad has happened. What if you were put off me?" She questioned._

" _Impossible." Punk smiled, leaning forward and pressing a kiss on her cheek as the nurse walked in to check on AJ._

" _Ok, April. 22 hours in. I think it's time to take you to a delivery room." She smiled as AJ nodded, feeling Punk kiss her head._

" _Why are we going there?" AJ whispered to Punk as the nurse smiled, she clearly could see AJ had been puffing on the gas and air for a while._

" _You're gonna have the baby now, sweetheart." Punk nodded._

" _Oh." AJ realised, it suddenly sinking in, "Are you coming?" She turned to Punk with worry._

" _Of course he's coming." The nurse smiled as Punk nodded to reassure AJ, "You've done really well April. Let's go."_

 _An hour later, 10am on Christmas Eve morning, AJ had given birth to Harry Phil Brooks and both her and Punk were the proudest parents on the planet. He looked just like Punk. He was small and precious and just perfect in every way imaginable._

" _I love him so much." AJ said as she cradled Harry in her arms whilst Punk sat on the bed beside her, arm wrapped around her. She never knew how much she would love him until she held him in her arms. This had been a roller-coaster ride. There had been ups and downs. They'd fought and doubted, but in the end they always knew they could get to this point, and from now on it seemed like they could do anything._

" _He's perfect." Punk smiled, stroking Harry's cheek, "I'm so proud of you." He kissed AJ's head. She definitely didn't have it easy. Near enough a full day spent in labour. She was so strong._

" _I can't wait to take him home." AJ said. They hadn't quite figured out what they were doing yet. They were still staying at Kady and AJ's apartment, and of course had a crib and all of Harry's things their for him coming home, but they knew they had to move out and get their own place, and Punk had been thinking more and more of the future and what he wanted, and he knew… he just knew… this was all he ever wanted and needed._

" _Hey..." Punk whispered as AJ looked up at him, "You know how much I love you… we have a baby, we're gonna be moving together… I feel like it's appropriate if-" He paused, pulling out a velvet box from his jeans. It was his plan all along, to_ _propose to her after she'd had the baby. There was no doubt about it, AJ was the one for him, the minute he laid eyes on her, he knew._

" _Oh my god." AJ gasped. There couldn't have been a perfect time. Whilst holding their newborn son. This was all the promise she needed. This was all the foundation Harry would need. And she wanted nothing more than to be his wife._

" _April. Will you marry me?" He asked as she smiled with tears rising in her eyes._

" _Yes." She whispered._

* * *

 **A/N: Sweet flashback. What do you guys think will happen next? Will AJ get the green light to write? Will we see another appearance from Tom? Will Punk try make friends with Pipey, AJ's snake? LOL. More coming soon. REVIEW.**


	14. Superhero

**Superhero**

* * *

It had taken a week for AJ to hear anything back from the publishing agency she had gone to. She was starting to get worried that the woman she had spoke to, Julie, had forgotten all about her, but then that phone call came, in the middle of dinner one Sunday night.

There was no confirmation, but she was asked back to the office to discuss further about her possible book, and AJ knew that was only a good sign. She was so excited and didn't hesitate to show it. She could barely sit still finishing the rest of her dinner.

"I can drop you off tomorrow, it's my day off." Punk told AJ, clearing the plates from the table as AJ helped, "I'll just do what I done last time and take Harry for some ice-cream." He shrugged as AJ nodded.

"Yeah. That'd be good." AJ nodded, dumping the dishes in the sink whilst the baby monitor on top of the microwave began to pick up on Louisa's cries from upstairs.

"I'll get her." Punk told his wife, pressing a kiss on her cheek and heading out of the kitchen to go see to his daughter.

"Hey, Harry. You wanna help me with the dishes?" AJ chanced her luck, turning to Harry who still sat at the dinner table, taking a drink with both hands around his glass of his orange juice, pretending he couldn't hear his mother, "C'mon… I'll let you stay up a little later tonight." She told him as he suddenly seemed interested, placing down his drink and rushing over to his mother as she sat him up on the counter.

"Do I dry like daddy?" Harry asked as AJ nodded, handing him a dish towel. She thought it was good to get him used to things like this. Yeah he was only three but she planned on raising him well. He already had the sweetest of matters, but still had a cheeky side of course.

"So what do you think about me writing a book?" AJ smiled to him, having talked about it with him before, not really confirming it with him yet.

"Like a bed-time story?" He asked whilst concentrating on drying the spoon he was holding.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I guess. But… maybe with a lot more words… less pictures." She said.

"What's it about?" Harry asked curiously.

"Well it's about me." AJ said, "It might not be the kind of book you'd like to read." She smiled a little as he huffed.

"So it won't have any superheroes in it?" Harry asked.

"Depends on what you think a superhero is." AJ told him as he still continued to dry the same spoon whilst AJ had washed nearly all of the dishes.

"A superhero wears cape. Has masks." Harry said.

"Not all the time." AJ shook her head, "Don't you think daddy is a bit of a superhero?" She questioned.

"No." Harry giggled.

"Why not?"

"He doesn't have a mask. And he doesn't have capes. He doesn't fight off bad guys." Harry said.

"Oh, but he does." AJ nodded, "Maybe he doesn't have a cape or a mask, but he fights off the bad guys all the time." AJ said as Harry looked at her, unconvinced, "Who do you think keeps us safe? And Louisa?"

"Daddy." Harry said as AJ nodded.

"Sorta like a superhero." AJ shrugged, "Maybe he does have a cape. I just haven't found it yet." AJ said.

"So is daddy a superhero in your book?" Harry asked curiously whilst AJ grabbed a kitchen towel of her own, beginning to dry the rest of the dishes whilst Harry continued to fool her in drying the one spoon.

"Yeah, I think he is." AJ nodded.

"How?" Harry asked.

"Well he keeps us safe. Kept me safe before you were even born. Makes everything great." She said as Harry just shrugged.

"I dunno." Harry shook his head, "Doesn't seem like a superhero to me." He shook his head as AJ smiled.

"Nah?" AJ laughed as he shook his head, "Ok, well thanks for your help." AJ nodded to him as he sat down the spoon he'd dried along with the dish towel, getting lifted down to the ground, "Let's get you for a bath, yeah?" She smiled as he nodded, latching on to her hand as they left the kitchen.

* * *

AJ got Harry in the bath and since he did help her out by drying that one spoon after dinner, she let him stay up that little bit later, watching a movie in the living room whilst AJ and Punk were in the kitchen, Louisa in her arms fast asleep.

"He doesn't think I'm a superhero?" Punk frowned as AJ laughed a little.

"Only because you don't have a cape or a mask." AJ said.

"Well then I should get a cape and a mask then. Run around in some tight spandex. You'd like that wouldn't you?" He grinned as she laughed quietly.

"Do you think I'm getting too excited? What if… what if I get turned down?" AJ questioned.

"There's other agencies." Punk folded his arms, "And I seriously doubt it. It's a powerful story. Powerful stories like that are big money to agencies." He said, "And the journal you gave her will prove that you can actually write." He said

"I just hope she gives it the go ahead." AJ said, rubbing Louisa's bath softly in circles.

"I think she will." Punk said, "And as a celebration tomorrow, we should go for pizza." He said as AJ smiled.

"Alright, it's a deal." She nodded, "I really appreciate you being so supportive." She nodded, placing gentle kisses at the side of Louisa's head, "I couldn't do it without you."

"I bet you could." Punk smiled, "But I'm really happy for you. I'm happy you're happy." He said, "Seeing you light up about this book, and how much it'll mean to you if you get to do it… it makes me happy." AJ shrugged.

"So you're not finding it tough anymore? Like before?" AJ asked.

"Well, yeah it's still a shit situation. I really wish you hadn't gone through it all, but I guess in some way it's made you who you are today." He said, "And I love who you are." He said as she smiled, watching him make his way over to her, pressing a kiss on her head followed by a kiss on Louisa's head. She could only hope tomorrow would bring her the news she wanted to hear.

* * *

"I'm sorry, April. But I feel like… with your lack of experience, I can't take you on here at the agency." Julie said as AJ sat across from her in her office the next day.

"But I don't need experience… Just give me a blank page and I'll produce something that is gonna get you a lot of money." AJ said, "Did you read my journal?"

"I did." Julie nodded, "I think your story is extremely powerful. Maybe a little too powerful." She said.

"What does that mean?" AJ questioned.

"It's very traumatic. I'm not sure if a lot of people will be able to sit through something so tense. So-"

"Real?" AJ questioned, "Because that's what it is. Real life. This is happening to people right now. I'm writing for them." AJ said, "It might not be everyone's cup of tea, you're right, but I can guarantee you this will benefit a lot of people." She said as Julie just shook her head.

"I'm sorry, April. I've made my decision." Julie said, passing AJ her journal back.

What could she do? There wasn't much more she could do, or say. At the end of the day, it was this woman's decision to take her on or not, and she had decided not to. She had just move forward and try to be as positive as she could.

"Alright." AJ nodded, standing up and putting her journal back in her bag, "Well thank you for your time." AJ said, "I'm gonna keep trying other agencies." AJ said.

"They'll possibly just say the exact same thing I have." Julie said.

"I'll keep trying." AJ said, "Thank you." She nodded, leaving the office and heading for the elevator.

She was upset. She came here today thinking it was gonna be the beginning of something great for her, but she had been shut down, for a very weak reason she believed. It seemed like Julie just couldn't handle the realness of it all. Maybe it would scare some readers, but for some readers AJ knew it would speak to them on different levels.

"April..." Tom said as AJ turned around, missing the elevator as it closed and went back down to the ground floor. She really didn't need this right now.

"Hey." AJ nodded.

"Any luck?" He asked as AJ shook her head.

"Nah. I got turned down." AJ said.

"I never knew you were into writing." Tom said honestly.

"You don't really know anything about me, Tom. You were screwing some other chick no more than two months into our relationship." She said.

"Yeah..." Tom nodded, looking down at the ground, "I still feel awful for that. I never meant to hurt you." He admitted.

"I trusted you." She shook her head, "Doesn't matter much now anyway. I have a husband… two children." She said as Tom nodded with slight sadness.

"Oh, right." He nodded, "Well I'm single, if that makes you feel better."

"Why would that make me feel better?" AJ questioned.

"Just…. Because I blew it with you and now you're happy and I'm well… not happy." He shrugged as AJ nodded.

"I don't take pleasure in other people's unhappiness." She shook her head, "I'm not that type of ex." She said, "But yeah, you did it blow it. All on your own."

"And I regret it." He said, looking AJ up and down, "I really regret it."

"Well I highly doubt that I'll see you again. I won't be back here again so… take care of yourself." She said, about to turn back around when Tom stopped her, touching her shoulder as she looked back at him.

"Who was it you spoke to? Julie? She's tough on everybody trust me." Tom said, "Maybe I could talk to her-"

"That's really not necessary." AJ shook her head, "I'd rather her turn me down than get help from someone else." She said.

"C'mon. It's the least I could do. Let me do this for you." Tom said, "She'll listen to me." He said as AJ just stood silently. It was tempting but her pride was hurt.

"It's really ok." She said.

"Too late. I'm gonna do it." Tom shrugged, "Whether you want me to or not." He said, "What are you writing about anyway?" He asked.

"My story." Tom said.

"I didn't know you had a story so interesting enough to be put in a book." He laughed a little, "What's your story? Young girl leaves parents at 18 to become a burlesque dancer?" He smiled a little. That was all he really remembered about her.

"No, actually. It's the reason behind me leaving and coming here." AJ said, "Not that it's much of your business, but I suffered from a lot of abuse." She said as Tom just went silent, "Sexual abuse." She said as he gulped, "And now I've made you uncomfortable… but you asked." She shrugged.

"I'm sorry… I didn't… didn't know." He said.

"It's fine." AJ said, "Julie says that it might not attract a big enough interest when published." She said.

"She's just threatened. If you produce something really great and inspiring, it means her other clients will be on to her." He said, "It's the way things go around here." He shrugged.

"I'll be working from home anyway. I can set up an office in my garage. Write from there. I don't want to interfere with anyone's work here." She said as Tom nodded.

"I know… and I'll tell her that." Tom said, "Leave me your number, I'll talk to her and give you a call." He said as AJ just nodded.

"Ok… Ok, thank you." AJ smiled. She figured why the hell not, taking her phone out and giving him her number. She may as well take the chance whilst she got it. Maybe other agencies would just turn her down like Julie said. It was convenient for Tom to be here. But this was nothing but a friendly favour. She was sure of it.

* * *

 **A/N: Friendly favour? Do you guys think so? Wonder how things will play out. REVIEW and let me know what you think.**


	15. Snake

**Snake**

* * *

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure there are other places you can go." Punk told his wife later on that night after getting home. AJ wasn't up to going out for pizza, she didn't have much to celebrate, so they ordered take out and ate at home. Harry was in the living room fast asleep on the couch having fallen asleep to a movie whilst Louisa sat in her swing in the centre of the living room, looking up at the stuffed toys hanging over her, fascinated by them.

"Well… Tom said he would speak to the woman who shut me down." AJ said as Punk rolled his eyes.

"Of course he did." He said, "He knows you're married now, right?" He asked.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I think he's just trying to be nice. I wouldn't worry about it." She told him.

"I highly doubt he's being nice to you for the good of his health, AJ." Punk said whilst AJ played with Harry's hair, brushing it back from his sleeping face.

"He doesn't seem interested, trust me. And I'm not interested." She reminded him.

"And if he manages to convince this woman?" Punk paused.

"I don't know." AJ shrugged, "I'm not sure I want to be given the opportunity by a bribe from another employee." She said, "I'd rather she had just gave me the go ahead." AJ said.

"So then we can try other places. Get away from this Tom guy too." Punk grunted.

"He isn't the problem. You're being paranoid for no reason." She said.

"Am I?" Punk questioned.

"Yes, you are." AJ nodded, "I don't know what to do." She sighed, leaning back against the couch whilst Punk continued to give Louisa a soft push on her seat swing. She was near falling asleep which was the aim.

"Well maybe you just need to take your chance and make sure you prove this woman wrong." He said, "If this Tom guy puts in a good word and she changed her mind, I think you'd be a fool to turn it down." He hated to admit.

"Really?" AJ questioned as Punk nodded, "I just don't wanna have to owe him anything." She sighed.

"Hey, if he thinks you'll owe him something then he can come talk to me. He can discuss with me what he thinks you owe him." He said as AJ smiled.

"So you think I should just do it?" She asked as Punk nodded.

"It'd be crazy not to." Punk replied, "Plus, you'll never be there. You'll be here writing." He said.

"Exactly." AJ nodded, "You'll still help me turn the garage into an office, right?" She asked as he nodded.

"If that's what you want." He nodded.

"I know you're good with your hands." She grinned.

"I'm an engineer. Not a builder." He laughed, "I'll get some help. Connor will give me a hand." Punk nodded, "I might even make it a surprise for you." He smiled.

"I love surprises." She smiled with excitement, it fading out quickly however, "But let's just see what happens." AJ said as Punk nodded.

"And I mean it, April. This ex of yours give you any hassle then tell me about it." He said sternly.

"You know I tell you everything." She shook her head as he raised his eyebrows, "Hey, that isn't fair."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Punk asked curiously, "We've been together for five years… why was now the right time?" He wondered, smiling upon Louisa who was now fast asleep, sitting back in the couch and facing AJ who sat curled on her side facing him.

"I guess going back to Jersey triggered it all. My mom really convinced me. I guess I never thought about a positive reaction from you. I'd thought you'd run a mile." She admitted.

"Why would you think that?" Punk asked, "None of this was your fault. Yeah, you may not have stopped it but you had no idea what was even going on. You were a kid. Why would I run from you?" He asked.

"I don't know. Maybe just the thought of it all would have put you off." She shrugged.

"Never." Punk shook his head, "Even if you told me a week into our relationship, I wouldn't have ran off." He said.

"I never knew that." AJ shrugged, "I just didn't want to jeopardise everything we have." She said, "But now I have told you, and nothing has really changed, I wish I'd told you sooner." She admitted.

"Well, I know now." Punk shrugged, "But I'm always gonna be here for you. Nothing could ever scare me away from you."

"Even if I go get Pipey and wrap him around you?" She grinned.

"Ok, do that and I am throwing that thing into the trash." He said as AJ gasped.

"He's like a child to me, how could you?" She shook her head, "Let me get him… you never even look at him." She stood up as Punk groaned.

"Oh, AJ. No… I don't like snakes." He groaned, a few minutes later watching her as she came back into the room with the fully grown python curled around her arm and neck. In Punk's eyes it was just a monster who wanted to kill him, he didn't know how AJ could love it.

"Look, he's harmless." She sat down on the couch as Punk shuffled away.

"AJ, please. I hate him, get him away." He groaned.

"Please, just hold him. I promise nothing will happen." She said as he shook his head, "Please I'll let you do anything to me tonight." She grinned.

"Anything?" Punk said, "What is classified as anything?" He wondered.

"Anything." She nodded as he smiled.

"Alright. Fine." Punk said, slowly shuffling over to her, jumping every now and then when the snake turned to look at him. He swore it hated him.

"Ok, he will wrap himself around you but nothing will happen." She promised him, handling the snake over to Punk who whined like a girl.

"He's slimy." Punk groaned, "Oh my god." He moaned when he heard the snake hiss.

"He's happy." AJ smiled.

"How can a snake be happy?" Punk asked, holding the snake out in the distance, his mouth gaping when he seen it start to wrap around his arm, "What's it doing? Why is he doing that? Is he killing me? Take him back take him back." Punk panicked as AJ laughed.

"He's showing you he likes you."

"No, he wants to crush my bones." Punk said.

"He isn't. He does it with Harry all the time. He likes to be wrapped around." She smiled, "Just let him go free."

She had first hand experience with working with snakes for a very long time. They were part of her performance and Pipey was her own personal snake that she'd had since he was a baby, nurturing him until he was fully grown to use in her shows. Now that she was planning on leaving burlesque, it seemed like the snake would just become a family pet.

"I don't like this, AJ." Punk shook his head, "You know how many nightmares I have about this thing, escaping during the night and coming to bite my dick off." He said as AJ laughed.

"That would be really unfortunate." AJ frowned sarcastically whilst watching suffer through what seemed like pain for him as the snake wrapped himself around him, "You're being really dramatic. He's not doing anything." AJ pointed out.

"When he bites me, and I'm dead, I hope you'll be happy." He said childishly.

"Don't be so stupid." AJ spat, "You need to spend more time with him." She said.

"He is a snake." Punk shook his head, "I don't have to spend any time with him."

"Well you could at least feed him." AJ said.

"He eats dead mice. No thank you." Punk shook his head.

"Harry feeds him."

"And I'm not sure why." Punk snapped, "I'd rather our son wasn't in danger from a fully grown, hungry python. If you think this thing is ever going near Louisa then-"

"You're giving me a sore head, Phil." AJ rolled her eyes, "You haven't even noticed that you've had him wrapped around you for nearly five minutes, and look… he's not doing anything." She pointed out as Punk looked down at the snake who seemed to be content.

"Hmm." Punk mumbled.

"If he was so evil, how do you think he'd be able to perform with me on a really warm stage with flashing lights and an audience. I didn't just pick him up from the dessert, you know." She said.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Punk mumbled, "Ok, so he isn't trying to kill me." He nodded as AJ smiled, "Yet." He said as AJ huffed.

"Alright, fine. But I want you holding him more." AJ said, taking the snake from him, "Get them to bed, I'll be up in a minute." She told him as Punk nodded, scooping Louisa in his arms to one side and Harry up to the other side. He really as super dad sometimes. He believed anyway.

He'd already got them in bed and was awaiting in his own bedroom when AJ came up.

"You forget almost everything I tell you, but anything sexual related you remember." She walked into the bedroom, shutting their door over and looking over at him lying with just his jeans on, hands behind his head, smirk on his face.

"I'm just thinking of all the possibilities. You did promise me anything." He said as AJ smiled.

"How about I just surprise you?" She asked him as he smiled.

"I love surprises." He smiled, echoing her words from earlier as she laughed.

"Yeah?" AJ smiled, walking to the bottom of their bed, beginning to strip her clothes off slowly, swaying her hips from side to side as she done so whilst he watched in a trance with an open mouth. Even after being with her for five years, married for two, endured two pregnancies, she still had the power to leave him speechless with her seduction methods.

"Like what you see?" She teased, turning her back to him, sliding down her jeans, bending forward as he sat up to get a better look.

"Just about." Punk smirked as she stood back up straight, now standing in her bra and panties, wandering around the bed and climbing on top of him.

"Do you think we'll still do this when we're old?" She questioned, leaning down and kissing his cheek, trailing the kiss to his neck as he smiled to himself.

"Don't worry. I'll be having you strip for me when you're in your seventies, babe." He said as she giggled, kissing down his body, coming to face with his jeans which she stripped from him along with his boxers, stroking his length up and down and looking up at him as he smiled to himself.

"I got two snakes to play with in this house." She smirked as he laughed.

"Is that your attempt at dirty talk?" He questioned.

"No. Just stating facts." AJ smiled, taking his length into her mouth without warning as he groaned.

"Fuck, yeah. That feels good, baby." Punk moaned, grabbing a handful of her hair for relief as she took him all the way in and out of her mouth.

She continued to use her mouth on him for a few more minutes until Punk felt he was getting too close.

She thought he was just pulling her up to straddle his hips again, but found him pulling her all the way up so her centre was positioned at his face, feeling him move her panties to the side, dipping his tongue into her drenched depths as she gripped onto the headboard suddenly.

"Oh my god." She gasped. His warm tongue ventured all around her, teasing her clit and entrance, but what she really loved was when he used his full mouth on her. She lost all control she thought she had.

"Fuck. That feels so good, baby. Don't stop." AJ moaned, grinding herself along his tongue that he ran over her clit and down to her entrance. He knew everything that set her off and took advantage of it.

"Mmm. This was meant to be me treating you." She told him, her eyes closed, gripping the headboard tightly as she groaned at the sheer pleasure.

"Trust me. This is a treat for me." Punk told her, using his tongue back on her again as she began to feel her release build up.

"Oh my god." AJ moaned, "Oh, god I'm right there. Oh, yes! Yes!" She moaned, feeling herself reach her orgasm, shivering when she felt herself reach her peak.

Punk lapped up her juices she had spilled and shuffled her back down so her face was back in line with his, roughly kissing her lips and spinning her around so he was on top whilst he smiled upon her still shaking frame from her orgasm.

"You need a minute?" He grinned, kissing her neck as she rolled her head back in pleasure.

"Oh, no… I need you." She moaned in a whisper as he smiled, settling in between her legs and pushing himself inside her as she moaned loudly.

"Fuck." Punk hissed, "You're so fucking tight." He moaned, beginning to move himself in and out of her as she gripped onto his arms, rolling her head back and smiling as she enjoyed every minute. She hoped they'd never lose this closeness. So far in their relationship and marriage, it had only gotten better. She couldn't ever be with anyone else but him at this point. He was everything she wanted and needed. He always had her back.

* * *

Later that night, after an eventful few hours, AJ lay fast asleep, her naked body curled into Punk's equally naked one. She'd fell asleep whilst feeling the steady heart beat on his chest. He had to remove her hand and slowly ease out her embrace, fetching a pair of boxers and sliding them on as he left the room, closing the door behind him and walking downstairs.

He got himself a drink, which was his first and only intention, but then was swayed in a different direction when he seen one of AJ's journals sitting beside the microwave. He knew he'd only make himself mad, upset and angry, but he couldn't help it. He took the journal and headed into the living room, collapsing on the couch in exhaustion, opening up the journal and reading the words painfully.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	16. Reaching Out

**Reaching Out**

* * *

"So… I got a call from Tom today, whilst you were at work." AJ said, a few days gone by since she was turned down by Julie at the agency she had gone to. Punk had just gotten in from work and was extremely tired. Louisa had caught a flu and he and AJ had both been up through the night with her. It wasn't serious. Just viral. But… AJ got to nap during the day with the kids, he had to go to work.

"Yeah? What'd he say?" Punk asked, sitting down on the edge of their bed, stripping his t-shirt off and throwing it over on the floor.

"We have a washing basket, Phil." AJ said, "He said that I'm in with a good chance. I'm meeting him for lunch tomorrow to discuss further." She said as Punk groaned.

"Seriously?" Punk said.

"What?" AJ shrugged.

"This is your ex." Punk said, "Would you like it if I went out for lunch with one of my ex's?" He questioned, "You'd go pyscho on me and lock me in the house." He said.

"I wouldn't care, if it was strictly business and there were no feelings involved, which there aren't. He knows I'm married with kids, and he knows I'm happy." AJ said, "What is it? Do you not trust me or something?" She questioned.

"I trust you. I don't trust him." Punk said, "There's no way he's doing all of this for the good of his health." He shook his head.

"That's right. That's right because I can't have people do nice things for me, without them wanting sex out of it. Right?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Don't put words in my mouth." Punk said, "I haven't slept in nearly twenty four hours-"

"So that gives you a right to be off with me?" She put her hands on her hips, "I'm just going for a quick lunch so he can tell me what it is I need to do. If it wasn't for him helping me I wouldn't have bothered going." She said.

"Trust me. He's gonna want something in return for this, and I don't mean a bunch of flowers and box of chocolates." He said, holding the back of his neck and cracking it from side to side.

"He doesn't. Trust me." She said, "You're being paranoid."

"Am I?" Punk said, "You aren't gonna come to me in a few weeks and tell me it was just a kiss, you didn't mean for it to happen, you weren't thinking-"

"You think I'd cheat on you?" AJ shook her head as Punk looked down, "Maybe you should sleep. You're being crazy." She shook her head, walking out of the room as Punk collapsed back on their bed with exhaustion.

AJ had just left Punk in their room. She knew from the lack of movement that he had fell asleep. She did feel bad for how exhausted he was. She hated to see him tired, but that didn't give him a right to be able to pick a fight with her. How could he think she cheat on him? She would never. She was more than happy with him and their life with their children. Her lunch with Tom was strictly just business, an excuse just to get out the house and for him to tell her what the agency had said about letting her write. He was just being paranoid.

* * *

"Mommy why is Louisa crying?" Harry asked frustratedly later that night, same tired face that Punk wore earlier, sitting in his pyjamas in the living room trying to watch TV whilst AJ stood bouncing Louisa lightly in her arms.

"She's not feeling very well, baby." AJ told her son, "She has the flu. Remember, just like you a few months ago." She said.

"But she's noisy." Harry said, covering his ears as AJ nodded.

"I know, but she'll fall asleep." AJ told her son.

"Where is daddy?" Harry asked curiously whilst AJ rubbed Louisa's small back soothingly, kissing her head whilst trying to sway her to sleep. She had a doctors appointment for her tomorrow morning. Hopefully it really was just a viral thing.

"He's sleeping." AJ said.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"He's tired." AJ said, sitting down beside her son, who sat tiredly, clearly annoyed by his sister's crying as he frowned upon her, "Hey, she's not well. Why don't you give her a kiss."

"Will she sh then?" He asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Maybe." AJ nodded, smiling as she watched Harry lean over and kiss Louisa's head.

Perhaps it was just right timing, but miraculously, Louisa stopped crying whilst Harry smiled cheerfully, very proud of himself.

"Look at that." AJ smiled, leaning forward and placing Louisa down on her mat with a smile, collapsing back on the couch, "She just wanted a kiss from her brother." She smiled.

"Did she?" Harry asked with a smile as AJ nodded.

"Looked like it." She said.

"Mommy when are you writing your story book?" He asked sweetly, focusing on the TV but with his ears opened.

"Soon hopefully." AJ smiled, playing with her son's hair whilst he curled into her tiredly. He was a mommy's boy at heart. He loved messing around with his dad, but was always opened for a cuddle with his mom.

It didn't take him long to fall asleep, just in time for the other boy in AJ's life to wake up, trailing down the stairs tiredly as Punk came down to a quiet living room, looking on at Louisa fast asleep as well as Harry.

"How are they always angels for you?" Punk asked quietly as AJ just ignored him, "C'mon, don't be like that. I was tired earlier." He told her, taking a seat beside her, opposite to Harry as she continued to ignore him, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have doubted you, or made you think I doubted you. Because I don't. I just… I don't like this guy."

"You don't know him." AJ shook her head, "He isn't trying to get into my pants."

"And I believe you." Punk nodded, "I just don't want him to think that because he's done this for you, he can ask you for something in return." He said.

"And if he does then I will handle it." She turned to him, "I think I'm capable."

"I think you're capable too, but I'm still your husband, I have a right to be annoyed… if that's what he thinks he can do." Punk said, "I just want you to be ok. I know how much you want to do this book."

"So then trust me… nothing is gonna happen. I'm going for lunch. He's gonna tell me what it is the agency said, give me details, and then I'll be off, I probably won't have to see him again." AJ shrugged.

"Good." Punk mumbled, "It's fine. I trust you. There was never a point where I didn't." He said, "You just caught me at a bad time."

"Yeah, well being tired doesn't give you an excuse to be an asshole." She said.

"Not even a little?" He questioned.

"No." AJ said.

"I'm sorry." He frowned, "Do you forgive me?" He pouted as she stayed silent, "Please." He begged, leaning his chin on her shoulder as she rolled her eyes, not being able to help smile. She could never stay mad with him and it really annoyed her at times like this.

"I forgive you." She nodded as he smiled, pressing a kiss on her cheek.

"You know I'm working tomorrow though… right?" He said as she nodded.

"I'm gonna take the kids with me." She turned to him as he made a funny face, "Really?"

"What? I've not said anything." He defended.

"Your face says it all." She said, "I can take care of myself, Phil. And our kids." She said, "Tom isn't so bad. Just because he cheated on me doesn't mean he's a bad person."

"Does to me." Punk scoffed.

"Thousands of men cheat." AJ said.

"So you're defending him for cheating on you?"

"No. I didn't say that." AJ said, "What I'm saying is, you have to let go of this… macho man husband thing, and trust me." She turned to him.

"It's not a husband thing, it's my pride. If someone is rude to you or disrespectful towards you, obviously I'm gonna get pissed off, you're my wife." He said, "I take care of you." He said as she smiled, "This isn't me just being awkward, as much as you think it." He said as she nodded.

"I guess I don't deserve you." She shrugged.

"You deserve the world." Punk told her, "Wish I could give you it to be honest." He said, tucking her hair behind her ear as she smiled.

"I couldn't accept it." She blushed, "I'm sorry. I should just let you be protective of me. I'd miss it if it went away." She admitted. As much as she liked to get on at him, she did like him being possessive and protective over her and the kids.

"I just want to keep you safe. That's all." He told her as she nodded.

"I know. And I will be safe. I'll call you tomorrow, as soon as I'm finished with lunch." She said.

"And call me after you see the doctor." He said as AJ nodded.

"I will." AJ smiled, "I think she'll be fine. Just something viral."

"Hopefully. I don't like it when she cries in pain." He frowned as she nodded.

"Me neither." She agreed, "But she'll be fine." She said with ease, curling into her husband whilst Harry still lay asleep into her side. The best thing about their fights were that they always made up in the end, and in the sweetest of ways.

* * *

The next day, AJ had gone straight from the doctors appointment she had for Louisa, which things went well and it turned out she had an ear infection which she was given medicine to clear, to her lunch with Tom.

"I didn't know you were bringing your kids." Tom admitted rather sadly AJ noticed, greeting him at the diner they had agreed to meet at. Louisa was asleep in her stroller and Harry was only interested in getting a milkshake.

"Well my husband is working." AJ said bluntly, "In you go." AJ told Harry who climbed into the booth. He was playing a game on her phone, hadn't even looked up at Tom yet, "They're good kids." AJ told him, not that she had to explain herself, he knew fine well this wouldn't be a date, maybe Punk was right.

"Well uh… I got you in." Tom smiled, "Julie said she was just a little hesitant because she wasn't sure it was a story people would take to. It's so… personal." He said, "But once I convinced her and said you were a great girl, and I know how determined you are, I managed to get her to budge." He smiled as AJ gasped with excitement.

"Oh, I'm so excited to start." AJ said, "I mean it will be heavy stuff but that won't matter… I just want to get my message across." She smiled, "So what have I to do?" She asked curiously.

"You've just to go see her tomorrow morning, she's got some guidelines written up for you, and then… well… the rest is down to you." He shrugged.

"I can't thank you enough." AJ shook her head, "You have no idea how much I appreciate this." She smiled.

"It was my pleasure." He said, "I'd really like for us to stay in touch, April. As friends." He said quickly, "I know you have your own life, kids and a husband, but there's no problem in us being friends is there?" He questioned.

"Not at all." AJ shook her head, "I won't forget this. You doing this for me." She smiled as Tom just nodded.

"Don't worry about it." Tom grinned, looking across at her with deep thought as she spoke to Harry, not paying attention to what she was saying, but just to her, her movement, her wavy soft hair, her lips, her body…

* * *

Punk was at work like normal at this time of the day, afternoon, and he expected the usual, customer, fixing something, customer, fixing something else, customer customer customer. But what he didn't expect, was an unexpected visitor who he most definitely didn't want.

"Where is Phillip?" His mother asked one of the other workers, walking into the warehouse as Punk's head turned, standing up straight as he had been crouched down. The young boy she'd asked pointed over to Punk who was already standing watching.

"If you're wanting something fixed go to someone else." Punk groaned. He was in no mood.

"I don't need anything fixed." Patrice spat, fiddling around with her hands nervously, "I have to talk to you."

"I'm sure you don't." Punk said, carrying on with what he was doing, "I have work to do." He told her, crouching back down and attending to the piece he was working on.

"It's your father." Patrice said as Punk paused, turning around and looking up at her, "He's had a heart attack."

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think. Sorry for the wait in update. Lack of inspiration I guess.**


	17. Stubborn

**Stubborn**

* * *

"Oh, God… I have to shoot." AJ announced after receiving a quick phone call from Punk.

"What? You've not even been here twenty minutes." Tom shook his head.

"I know, I'm sorry." AJ panicked, getting out of the booth as Harry followed at his mother's orders, "It's my father-in-law. He's in hospital. I have to go." She said, zipping up Harry's coat, "Thank you so much for this, you have no idea-"

"Well I'd really like to see you again." Tom stood up as AJ just nodded. She was in so much of a rush and panic that she just agreed so she could leave.

"Yeah, just… give me a call or whatever." She said as Tom smiled.

"Ok… and I hope everything is alright." He added quickly as she just smiled, pushing Louisa in her stroller whilst Harry followed beside, leaving the diner in a hurry as Tom watched her closely. Not even a ring on her finger or kids by her side could switch him off from her. He wanted her back.

* * *

AJ arrived at the hospital around 15 minutes later, walking into the room she had been directed to, seeing Rick hooked up to lots of machinery, Punk sitting beside whilst his mother stood over in the corner. For the sake of his father and the state he was in, AJ just pretended she couldn't see his mother.

"Hey." AJ frowned, walking over to Punk who stood up, hugging him tightly as he squeezed her for comfort. He'd never found himself in a situation like this. His dad was the only blood related family that actually gave a damn about him and AJ and the kids. He couldn't lose him, "How is he?" AJ asked.

"The doctors said he was still in a critical way." Punk shrugged, "Can't say much more." He said.

"It'll be ok." AJ nodded, placing her hand on his arm comfortingly.

"You didn't have to come right away. You should have stayed at your lunch." He said genuinely, "I just phoned to let you know, incase I wasn't home later."

"Oh, don't be stupid. I had to come." AJ shook her head as Punk looked behind her, noticing Harry standing behind Louisa's stroller, looking around with worry. AJ had totally forgot that he hadn't really been to a hospital before.

"Is grandpa sick?" Harry asked, shuffling one leg in front of the other as he looked over at his parents.

AJ immediately felt stupid for so clumsily dragging him in here with her, she should have explained first but she was just so worried about Punk she totally forgot.

"Come here, buddy." Punk crouched down as Harry made his way over to him, "Grandpa is sick, he's getting some special rest right now, but he'll be happy you're here. I promise." Punk nodded, "It's ok, he's gonna be just fine." Punk said, placing his hands on his little waist as Harry looked over at Rick.

"What's around his nose?" He asked.

"He's just having some trouble with his breathing, and that's helping him." AJ added, crouching down alongside Punk, "He's getting better in here." AJ nodded.

"Is he getting medicine?" Harry asked curiously as Patrice stood over in the distance watching with a misleading smile.

"Yeah." Punk laughed a little, "He's getting medicine to make him feel better." He nodded, "Why don't you sit up here." He said, lifting Harry up onto the arm chair in the corner, turning back to his wife.

"I'll take him down to the cafeteria or something." AJ said, "I didn't even think." She admitted tiredly.

"Don't worry, it's fine." Punk said.

"I could take him, if you like." Patrice said, coming out of the corner she was silently standing in as Punk and AJ both looked her way in shock.

"No, thank you." Punk said bluntly, turning back to his wife who raised her eyebrows at him.

"Yeah." AJ nodded to Patrice, "He never got to get his lunch when we were out." AJ said.

"He's ok, really." Punk insisted.

"No, taking him would be good." AJ looked over to Patrice as Punk groaned to himself, "Harry, you want to go get something to eat at the cafeteria?" AJ turned back to Harry who nodded, jumping off the chair, "Ok, go with your gran and get something." She pointed over to Patrice who smiled, for the first time really seeing her grandson up close and personal. He was a cute and bubbly little thing. Just like Punk when he was that age, only with a little less attitude.

"Thank you." She nodded as AJ smiled, watching Harry lead the way out of the room.

"Thanks for that." Punk turned to AJ angrily.

"It might be what she needs." AJ said, "Don't be blunt with her when her husband is lying in a hospital bed." She shook her head.

"I don't trust her." Punk said, walking over to look in Louisa's stroller, smiling on at the sleeping baby girl.

"Well I do." AJ said.

"I don't know why you stick up for her when she was so horrible to you." He said.

"Because I don't hold grudges." AJ said, "And neither should you."

"I don't have a grudge held against my mother. She's just a bitch." Punk spat.

"That's enough." A grumble came from Rick as Punk turned his head.

"Dad." Punk smiled with relief.

"Oh, I'm alright." Rick said, "You didn't have to all trail here." He said, "Where is your mother?"

"She's down at the cafeteria. With Harry." Punk pained to say.

"She loves those grandchildren more than you know." Rick said, coughing a little as he tried to get his voice back to normal, "She just hides it because of her stubbornness with you." He said.

"Tell him something he already doesn't know." AJ folded her arms as Punk glared at her.

"Phil, I want you to listen to April more." Rick said as Punk just rolled his eyes, watching his father wink to AJ who smiled. He was a very hands on father-in-law with AJ, always smothering her with hugs and kisses, but AJ loved it and oddly Punk did too. It was all he ever wanted, for those he loved to be accepted. His mother done a horrible job at it but his father was just perfect when it came to it, "Where is Mike?" Rick asked.

"I don't know." Punk shrugged, "Probably finding something better to do." He rolled his eyes.

"Mike is a good kid." Rick defended.

"When he wants to be." Punk added as AJ sat down on the arm chair, "How you feeling anyway? You in pain?" He asked.

"I'm alright." Rick dodged the question, "You shouldn't have came from work." He shook his head, noticing Punk had his trade t-shirt on for where he worked, "Your mother is here with me."

"Yeah, that's exactly why I came." He said as Rick laughed.

"She's been worried." Rick said, "Don't be too harsh on her."

"I won't." Punk nodded, "She's downstairs with Harry, isn't she?" He said.

"Harry is bound to cheer her up." Rick said, "That kid could cheer anyone up." He smiled, "How is Louisa?"

"She's fine." AJ smiled, "Just an ear infection. It'll clear up in a few days." She said.

"Good." Rick nodded, "I don't want you here all night. I'm not going anywhere soon I don't think. Get home, get some dinner, get the kids to bed. Come see me tomorrow." He insisted.

"I don't wanna leave you here." Punk said.

"I have your mother. I'm just fine." Rick said, "A gloomy hospital is no place for children." He said, "I insist." He said whilst Punk turned to AJ who just nodded.

"Alright, I've gave your doctor my number to call incase anything happens." He said, "We'll be back tomorrow." He promised as AJ stood up, "We'll send mom back up."

"Thanks, son." Rick nodded as Punk and AJ left the hospital room.

"I think he seems ok." AJ said, pushing Louisa's stroller as Punk ran his hands through his hair, "He's getting the best care here, there's not much else we can do, Phil." AJ said.

"Anything could happen though. His heart has been bad for a while now." He shook his head.

"We'll visit him first thing tomorrow morning. He's right, we should get home, get the kids settled. He seems comfortable here." AJ said. She knew how much Punk's father meant to him and she hated to see him so stressed out about this all.

"I know." Punk nodded, "I just wish I could stay there all night." He admitted.

"Well… you know your father, he's too stubborn to allow that." She said as they took the elevator down to the ground floor, finding their way into the cafeteria where his mother sat with Harry. She didn't look in an awkward state with him, in fact, it was the most genuine he'd seen her in his entire life. Harry sat across from her with a sandwich and a juice box, talking away to her quite happily which made AJ smile. Her son always brought out the best of people and she was proud of that.

"See, wasn't so bad, was it?" AJ looked at Punk who glared at the scene, "Phil." AJ shook her head.

"I'm not a fool." Punk spat, "So she sucks up to me now that Mike doesn't show face and dad is in hospital? Don't think so." Punk said, storming ahead to collect his son as AJ sighed.

"Come on Harry, it's time to go." He instructed, taking his small coat from behind the chair he was sitting on.

"I'm not finished." Harry looked up at his father.

"You can finish it in the car home." He promised.

"Why are you rushing off?" Patrice asked.

"Dad said he wanted us to go home. Not to be staying around all night, especially with the kids. We'll be back in the morning. Just me and April."

"But where will-"

"We got friends that can look after them." Punk said, refusing to look his mother in the eye the entire time as he zipped up Harry's coat.

"Phil, please wait." Patrice stood up, "Look at me." She said as Punk turned to her, "I know what you think of me." She nodded.

"Good, cause I'd hate to say to your face." He said whilst Harry grabbed the half of his sandwich he hadn't finished, along with his juice box.

"I know I'm a stranger to you and your family, but this isn't what your father needs. Us clashing all the time." She shook her head.

"So as soon as he is better you're gonna go back to calling me every name under the sun? Telling my wife she's a whore? Looking down on my children?" He asked.

"I've never looked down on your children." Patrice defended, knowing that the other things were true, "I'm trying to be the better person here." She said.

"Well don't bother." He shook his head, "Go find Mike for your shoulder to cry on." He said, "C'mon, Harry." He said, taking his son's hand and walking away.

"Bye." Harry waved to Patrice who smiled through her sadness, waving to him as Punk tugged him round a little, meeting AJ and leaving the hospital.

* * *

"I'm just saying, you need to be a little more sympathetic." AJ said, brushing her hair later that night as Punk already lay in bed in his thoughts.

"No. I don't." Punk said, "C'mon, Ape… you know what a shit person she can be." He said, "I'm not building up some sort of attachment to her for her to just cut me off the second dad is better." He said, "She's not genuine, I can tell."

"She looked really happy with Harry." AJ pointed out as Punk nodded, not being able to deny that.

"It was her choice not to see them." Punk said, "She had opportunity after opportunity."

"Maybe she's afraid." AJ shrugged, placing down her brush and walking over to their bed, pulling the covers back and sliding in beside him, curling into him as his arm wrapped around her.

"Afraid of what though?" Punk questioned.

"Well your brother doesn't have kids. Maybe she doesn't know how to be a grandmother, and with all the bad blood between you and her, maybe she didn't see the point."

"Weak excuse." Punk said, "I don't forgive her for the way she's treated me, and you." He said, "I'd rather she just kept her distance."

"You can't criticise her for trying, Phil." AJ said.

"I'm not. I'm just saying some things can't be forgotten." He said, "As an adult, yeah, it doesn't bother me anymore, I try and brush it off, but as a kid, feeling like your own mother doesn't love you, feeling less than your brother all the time… that's something I won't forgive her for." He said, "I mean… could you imagine being so spiteful to Harry?"

"Never." AJ said straight away.

"Her mind works in riddles." He said, "She's a nasty woman, decides when she wants to be nice." He shook his head, "And I want nothing to do with her." He said as AJ nodded. She had to respect Punk's opinion and choice. Maybe it was different. Maybe it was as serious as he was making it out. He'd grown up with the woman and suffered what seemed like an unequal childhood. She had to support him and how he felt.

"Well, the main thing is your dad seems stable and in good hands." She told him, "Try not to worry." She kissed his shoulder softly.

"I'll try." Punk nodded, "Hey, how was your lunch anyway?" He looked down as she nodded.

"It was ok, only lasted half an hour, but I guess we wouldn't have had much to discuss anyway. I've to go see Julie at some point soon to collect some things but now… it's just down to me, I guess." She smiled excitedly as he smiled.

"I'm really proud of you." He nodded, "This is going to be great." He smiled, "And he didn't say anything I should be worried about?" He asked as AJ laughed a little.

"No." AJ laughed, "He was very nice, friendly." She said as he nodded.

"Good. I'm too tired to go find him and beat him up anyway." He yawned as she smiled.

"You get tomorrow off work?" She asked as he nodded, "I called Kady earlier, we can drop the kids off at hers on the way to the hospital tomorrow." She said as Punk nodded.

"Good… I don't really want them in the hospital." He admitted as AJ nodded, "Not until he's feeling better and up to seeing them." He said.

"Yeah, I know." AJ said, "Try get some sleep, don't be worrying." She told him, leaning up and kissing his cheek as he smiled.

"I love you." He said as she curled into him, shutting her eyes over.

"I love you too." She whispered. With her by his side, he could face anything, even his mother.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think! Thanks for the reviews.**


	18. Brotherly Love

**Brotherly Love**

* * *

The next morning AJ and Punk dropped Harry and Louisa off at Kady's apartment. She told them she had nothing better to do anyone, and she always loved spending time with the kids. AJ and Punk promised her they wouldn't be too long anyway, with his dad being so stubborn he'd probably send them away after a visit of five minutes.

"I hope my mom isn't here." Punk groaned, walking hand in hand with his wife as they walked down the corridor to his father's room, walking in and seeing it completely empty.

Punk began to panic. He only thought of the worst and quickly ran off to the reception of the unit, asking in a panic where his father had gone.

"Calm down, sir." The receptionist said as she looked at the computer.

"What's happened to him? Where has he gone?" Punk asked whilst AJ eventually caught up with him and stood beside, just as terrified.

"Oh, Mr Brooks has just been moved rooms." She said simply as Punk let out a sigh of relief, "He's been taken to a private room, two floors up." She said.

"Private?" Punk shook his head, turning to AJ who just shrugged with confusion.

"Yeah, he was moved late on last night." The receptionist nodded as Punk just let it be.

"Ok, well thank you." He said, walking away with AJ to get the elevator to his father's new room, "My mom doesn't have the money to go private." Punk said as AJ stood beside him in the elevator.

"Maybe she does." AJ shrugged, "You don't know what kind of money she has." She said as Punk supposed that was true.

"I know but… I know she doesn't have that kind of money." He said as they reached the floor and got out, finding his father's room and walking in, seeing him sitting up watching some TV. Hockey. Of course.

"Phil." Rick smiled.

"Someone is feeling better." AJ chuckled a little, taking her coat off and sitting it over the arm chair as Punk closed the door behind them.

"Just happy to see you both." Rick smiled, "No Harry or Louisa?"

"We left them with a friend." Punk said, "Figured you'd still not be up to seeing them." He said.

"Nonsense!" Rick gasped, "I'd never decline a visit from my grandchildren. I just don't like the fact they have to come to the hospital to visit me. Hopefully I get out soon." He said.

"When you're ready." Punk reminded him, "Anyway, how are you feeling?" He asked, taking a seat beside AJ at the side of his father's bed as he turned the TV down.

"Better actually. I managed a shower this morning." He said.

"A very fancy shower by the looks of things." Punk raised his eyebrows, turning to the bathroom which had the door open for him to see inside, "How'd you get up here?" He wondered.

"Your brother sorted it out for me." Rick said, "I didn't want a fuss but he insisted." He shrugged.

"Of course he did." Punk nodded, "Where is mom?" He asked.

"She went home to get some rest. I'm worried about her, Phil." He looked at his son.

"Why?" Punk said.

"Well c'mon now. Say you were lying here, wouldn't you think April would be worrying about you and going out of her mind?" He questioned as Punk just grumbled.

"He'd be happy he was out the house and not listening to me nagging at him." AJ jabbed her husband playfully who smiled.

"She's not my problem." Punk replied to his father after his smile faded from his wife, "What about times I was worried? Where was my mom?"

"She's not an affectionate person, Phil. You know that." Rick defended.

"Affectionate? I didn't want affection. I just needed someone to care about me."

"She does care." Rick said, "More than you will ever understand."

"Then how does she show it for Mike and not me?" He questioned.

"I'm not sure, but trust me… she loves you just as much as she does Mike." He said, "Did I ever tell you the story about when you were born?" He asked as Punk shook his head, "Well… you were premature. And I don't mean a few days, or weeks, I mean 7 weeks premature." He said, "You were small. Couldn't breathe. Me and your mother were terrified." He said, "From that moment on… your mother detached herself from you. I don't know if she felt like she was too blame, or if she was trying to prepare herself for the worst." He said, "But she has been this… isolated way with you from the moment you were born." He shook his head.

"Ok, then be isolated from me, don't be disrespectful towards me." He said.

"That's her way of pushing you away."

"Well she really got it right then, didn't she?" Punk said, "Louisa was premature. I don't ignore her and detach myself from her." He said, "There's no excuses."

"You're stronger. That's why." He said, "You might think your mother is hard as nails. Tough. She isn't, trust me." He said, "I need to know that if anything does happen to me, you'll be there for her."

"She has Mike." Punk shrugged.

"Phil." Rick said.

"I'm not making promises." He said, "You aren't going anywhere anyway." He said as his father nodded.

"Very true." He nodded, "I'm hoping they let me out soon. Although they have said they'd like to keep a close eye on me." He said.

"Well good." Punk said, "I don't want you leaving here until you're fully better." He said.

"Yeah yeah." Rick nodded, "How are you, April? Enough talking about me." Rick turned to AJ who smiled.

"You aren't gonna ask me how I am?" Punk asked.

"I've spent my whole life asking how you are. Plus, April is much more interesting than you are." He joked as AJ smiled.

"I've been good." AJ said, "I'm actually writing a book." She said.

"A book?" Rick said surprised, "What's it about?" He wondered as Punk turned to her curiously.

"You're gonna have to wait, buy it and find out." She said as he laughed.

"Buy it?" Rick gasped, "But I'm family." He said.

"Well I don't know, maybe I could work something out." AJ said, "It's just about me. My life." She said as Rick nodded.

"Some old skeletons?" He guessed.

"You could say that, yeah." AJ nodded.

"I always knew you had brains." He nodded, "So you've left your other job?" He asked.

"Not yet. I've let my boss know that I will be leaving, but it hasn't been done and dusted yet." She said, "It's gonna be tough." She admitted.

"You'll be just fine." Rick nodded, "And you? What have you been up to?" He asked.

"Oh, now you're interested?" Punk raised his eyebrows, "Nothing. Working." He shrugged.

"Sounds rubbish." Rick grumbled, "What about the kids?"

"What about them?" Punk laughed.

"Well what's been going on with them?" He asked as Punk tilted his head with confusion.

"Oh, well… Harry had a very serious meeting with his lawyer yesterday. Louisa is in the midst of finding a new job-"

"Is that so?" Rick said with a smirk.

"What do you mean what's been going on with them?" Punk laughed.

"Can't a grandfather ask how his grandchildren are without being made fun of?" Rick tutted.

"Yes, he can." AJ smiled, "They're just fine. Louisa is getting over the flu and an ear infection. Harry is just fine." She smiled.

"Always relaxing to hear." He said just as the door opened, all three of them turning around as Mike walked through the door, a woman accompanying him, tagging behind. Blonde. Dressed head to toe in what only Punk assumed was wealthy clothing, gigantic branded purse over her arm. It seemed about right to him.

"I didn't know you had visitors." Mike smiled, "It's been a long time, Phillip." He said.

"Not long enough." Punk said, not making any movement besides shuffling away closer to his wife who was staring on at his brother and his partner.

"You haven't met Vanessa, have you?" Mike said, "My wife." He smiled as Punk just nodded over to the woman and turned back to his father who sat looking up at the hockey game. When it came to his sons, he just let them get on with it.

"He's always rude like this, don't worry." Mike turned to his wife who just nodded, glaring at Punk and AJ who she felt were very rude, "That's his wife." Mike said, "CJ… MJ… I know there's a J." He grinned as AJ faked a laugh.

"AJ." She said, emphasising on the A.

"Close enough." Mike shrugged.

"Nice to meet you." AJ mumbled as Vanessa just nodded whilst Punk ignored the situation completely.

"Well… this is fun." Mike clasped his hands together whilst Vanessa took a seat opposite side of Rick's bed to where AJ and Punk were sitting.

"It was until you arrived." Punk said, "You know me and you don't work. Can't you come back later?" He whined a little with frustration. He wasn't in the mood to fight with his brother. He was so over it.

"I'm busy later." Mike said, "Anyway, dad… how are you?" Mike turned his attention to Rick who nodded.

"I'm feeling better, son." Rick nodded, "They're still keeping a close eye on me. Watching my heart rate and blood pressure, but I'm feeling good." He nodded.

"That's great." Mike smiled, turning his attention back over to Punk, not being able to help himself, "Where are the kiddies?" He said sarcastically.

"With a friend." Punk said.

"Shame." Mike said, "I've yet to meet them. Can you believe it..." He turned to his wife, "I have a niece and a nephew I've never even met." He said.

"Yeah, and there's a reason for that." Punk batted whilst AJ sat back with exhaustion, "Why don't you just go? I'm not here to fight with you." He said.

"I'm not here to fight either." Mike said, "I'm here for dad."

"Sure you are." Punk nodded.

"Boys. Stop it." Rick shook his head.

"Fine. We'll go." Punk said.

"You just got here." Rick turned to Punk sadly.

"Yeah well I'll come back another time that he isn't here." Punk stood up.

"Can't you two just be civil for once?" Rick asked loudly, "You are both grown men and somehow you still carry on like children." He said, "No wonder I've had a heart attack." He spat, "Can you both please just stay in the same room, for more than one minute? Is that too much to ask?" He looked from Mike to Punk, both of them looking down with shame.

Punk collapsed back down on the chair beside AJ whilst Rick smiled.

"Thank you." Rick nodded, "Soon me and your mother aren't going to be here, and it's just going to be you two, and I don't want you to become strangers to one another." He said.

"Well there isn't any chance in hell that I-" Punk watched his father's nostrils flair, causing him to pause in the middle of his sentence.

"Why is you two don't like each other?" Vanessa asked slowly with confusion as they all looked at her, "What?"

"I don't know actually." Mike turned to Punk with a smirk, "Why do you dislike me?"

"I don't dislike you. I just feel sorry for you." Punk shrugged, "I'm assuming that this girl has a lot of money to her name. Am I right?" He said.

"Phil." AJ tapped her husband.

"She does have a lot of money and guess what? She hasn't had to take her clothes off for it?" Mike shot back as Punk stood up in a commotion.

"Alright, that is enough!" Rick yelled, "Both of you get out. Get out of of the room. Go home. I don't want this!"

"Dad-"

"No, get out!" He yelled, "I am fed up being in the middle of you two." He spat, "Get out of my sight." He said angrily. As a father, he had tried his hardest to make sure his two sons got on with one another, but the were so different from one another, it was impossible for him to even try anymore.

Punk and Mike done as they were told. They might not have listened to each other, but they listened to their father. Sometimes. Most of the time. They could both tell he was angry so they done as they were asked and left the room.

"C'mon, let's just go." AJ insisted, walking down the corridor with Punk.

"He's a fucking dick." Punk spat.

"I know he is." AJ nodded, "He likes getting to you, clearly. You just gotta let it slide." She said.

"Harder said than done, April." He said, reaching the elevator and getting in, watching as Mike and Vanessa joined into the closed in space.

"This is cosy." Mike smirked whilst Punk and AJ stood as far away as possible, both ignoring him as Punk wrapped his arm around AJ protectively, "We should all go out one night. The four of us." Mike smiled as Punk again ignored him.

"Why is he so rude?" Vanessa asked Mike who smiled. They were very well suited for each other, clearly. Both complete idiots.

"He isn't rude." AJ spat, "Your husband is rude." She said as Vanessa raised her eyebrows.

"And who are you?" Vanessa laughed whilst Punk and AJ quickly escaped the elevator once it got to the ground floor, both heading for the door as Vanessa and Mike followed.

"She's the stripper." Mike said loud enough for Punk to hear.

"Just keep walking." AJ told her husband as they got outside.

"Does she still strip?" Vanessa asked, tagging behind Punk and AJ like school children, following them outside the hospital.

"I think so." Mike nodded, "Hey, AJ. You still strip?" He asked as Punk turned around, grabbing Mike by the collar of his t-shirt and launching him against the wall.

"I am warning you." He spat, "We are walking away because we don't wanna hear you anymore, so fuck off out my sight before you make me do something I regret." He spat.

"Looks like second best again." Mike laughed, "I think I got the better wife." He smiled as Punk chuckled.

"In your dreams." Punk said.

"Phil, c'mon." AJ said, pulling Punk away as Punk let go of his brother.

"You leave us alone." Punk said as AJ grabbed him and pushed him forward before he done anything stupid.

"He isn't worth it." AJ told him, "Let's go get the kids." She said as they walked away to their car in the car park.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	19. Secret Chat

**Secret Chat**

* * *

Once Punk and AJ picked up the kids from Kady, they headed home where Punk began to work up a storm.

"I mean… who does he think he is." Punk paced in the kitchen whilst Harry sat over at the table with some action figures and a sandwich his mom had made him for lunch, "One of these days he's gonna push it too far and I'm gonna-"

"You're gonna do nothing." AJ said firmly whilst looking across at him, "Do you know what he loves? He loves to see you like this. You just have to brush it off. Pretend you don't care, which you shouldn't anyway. He isn't worth the time." She said.

"I can't just sit back and let him say the things he says." Punk refused.

"Well you're gonna have to." AJ said, "Your father has had a heart attack. He doesn't need you fighting with your brother or your mom. Think of him." AJ said.

"Wouldn't it be easier if we all just stayed out each other's way? That'd mean there'd be no fighting or arguing, and my dad wouldn't have to get stressed." He said.

"I think maybe for once, Phil… just for once, your father wants all his family with him." She said as Punk sensed a tone.

"Why are you getting mad with me?" He questioned.

"I'm not. I just think this has gone on long enough. What… what do I have to do? Lock you and your brother in a room and not let you out until you get on with each other."

"Well then you'd never see me again." Punk said, "Stop… stop handling it like it's your situation to handle. My parents. My brother. I make these decisions."

"Yeah and I'm your wife… I'm trying to help you."

"By telling me to speak to the brother and mom who hate my guts?" Punk shook his head as Harry peered over to his parents fighting.

"They do not hate you. You just don't get on." AJ said.

"No. You know nothing." Punk shook his head, "You weren't the only one who had it tough growing up, alright." He spat as she looked across at him coldly, nodding and leaving the kitchen as Punk mentally kicked himself. He knew he couldn't take it out on her but she really didn't get how strongly he felt about his family and the way they treated him. He refused to be that 'bigger man' she always talked about. He didn't want contact with them. End of. He cared for his father and would continue to do so. He was oblivious to anything else.

"Why are you both shouting?" Harry asked as Punk turned around, completely forgetting his son was even there, "Is it because of Grandpa?" He asked curiously and unknowingly.

"No… no, it's not because of grandpa." Punk sighed, walking over to him and taking a seat at the table with him, "Grandpa is fine… and he's gonna get better, it's just… well sometimes me and mommy have different opinions."

"Why? What's that?" Harry asked.

"Well she wants me to do something that I don't wanna do." He said.

"Why?"

"Well because it's the better decision." Punk explained, but Harry just looked confused, "It's nothing for you to worry about, me and mommy are just fine. In fact… I'm gonna go speak to her, you stay here and finish your sandwich, ok?" He said as Harry just nodded.

Punk stood up, messing Harry's hair up playfully and leaving the kitchen, heading upstairs and not finding AJ in any of the rooms, coming back down and seeing her coat was gone where she had sat it down when they got home.

* * *

"I just had to get out of the house." AJ sighed, sitting in a coffee shop, sitting across from Tom who she had called in wonder if he was free for an hour, just to talk, she was really surprised at how quick he accepted her offer and got here to meet her.

"Crazy huh?" Tom asked.

"Crazy would be an understatement." She said, "I don't even know how I'm gonna manage writing this book with everything going on." She sighed.

"Hey, you will." Tom said, "Things will calm down."

"I just want him to put this wall down that he has around him. I know it's easy saying that from where I stand, but he encouraged me to see my parents and talk things out with them, and I feel much better after I done so." She said, "I mean… I know his family are worse but he's just so hooked on the idea that they hate him." She shook her head.

"Maybe you just gotta accept his wishes. His family at the end of the day." Tom said.

"But he's my husband. I love him. I want him to be happy… take the dead weight off his shoulders, because I know he thinks about it all the time." She said. She was just worried about him.

"Well… maybe you should just leave it to him to sort out." Tom suggested as AJ just shrugged.

"There's not much I can do anyway. He won't listen." She shrugged.

"How long you been together anyway?" Tom eased in curiously.

"He actually appeared the day you cheated on me." She said bluntly as he just looked down, "He wasn't like a shoulder to cry on or anything. We took things really slow, and somehow we wound up having two kids and getting married." She said.

"You love him?" Tom asked as AJ chuckled a little.

"My husband?" She questioned, "I'm gonna say yes." She joked as he just laughed.

"Just making sure." Tom smiled, "You happy with him?"

"Of course I am. I don't feel safe unless I'm with him. I wouldn't really know what to do without him honestly." She admitted as Tom just nodded. He felt his opportunity slipping away, but he was stupid enough to believe he had a chance in the first place, "We've rarely had roadblocks put in our way until now." She admitted.

"What do you mean?" Tom questioned.

"Well… Everything has gone really smoothely for us. We've done some travelling. Had kids. Got married. Made lots of memories. Not until recently had things started getting hard. Obviously my childhood past… telling him about that, me visiting my parents again, his dad having a heart attack." She said.

"Well that's life… hits you all at once, doesn't it?" He said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, it sure does." AJ said.

"Well… you should uh… you should get back to him. Work it out with him. You both seem too close to be fighting." He told her as she smiled.

"Yeah. I suppose I should." She nodded.

"But I'm here whenever you need to talk you know." He made very clear as she nodded, putting on her coat and standing up.

"I know. Thank you." She smiled sweetly, leaning over and pressing a kiss on his cheek as he silently inhaled her sweet scent. Her perfume twitched his nose and it was so hard looking at the soft, caramel skin up close, but she pulled away before he could be tempted anymore.

With that he watched her walk out of the coffee shop and out of sight.

* * *

AJ got home later on after being out for some fresh air and a secret chat with Tom that she thought she would leave out in telling Punk about. She needed out of the house, and that was true, and that was what she was going to tell him.

She got in and realised it was awfully quiet, walking into the living room where Punk sat watching TV.

"Hey." AJ said as he just nodded her way.

"Where'd you go?" He asked.

"I just needed to get fresh air." She said, taking off her coat and throwing it over the back of the couch, sitting down beside him, "Where are the kids?" She asked.

"Sleeping." Punk said, "I'm sorry for shouting earlier." He said simply. He had no excuses.

"It's ok." She nodded, "I'm sorry too. I know that your family is a touchy subject, and you're right… it's your family. I shouldn't be telling you what to do." She said, "I just want what's best for you. I don't want to see you angry or upset." She said.

"The only time I get angry is when I have to face them. That's what I'm trying to tell you. I'm happier avoiding them… hell, I think they're happier when I avoid them. We don't work. Never will. I'm gonna continue being there for my dad. That's it." He told her.

"And that's ok." AJ nodded, "It's your decision." She said. She realised that it wasn't down to her to decide what Punk done with his family. She could give him support and advice, but she couldn't tell him what to do. If his way of dealing with all of this was to ignore it, then she had to support that. As long as her husband was happy and relaxed, she didn't care, "You ok?" She asked him, shuffling closer to him, playing with his hair that above his ear, "I know it's been tough these past few days." She nodded.

"I just want him to get better. Get him home." He said, "I still keep thinking he's gonna take a turn." He shook his head.

"He's in great hands." She said, "And I know you don't see it, but he has your mom with him."

"I think I'd rather be alone." He scoffed as she just rested her head on his shoulder, "What about you? How are you?" He asked. Sometimes with so much going on in their life, they never really got the chance to sit and ask how each other really were. Like they did when they had just began dating and had no worries what so ever.

"I'm fine." She smiled, "Worried about your dad of course, but I know he's gonna pull through." She nodded, "I'm just worried about you, baby." She looked up at him, "I don't want you worrying." She sighed, pressing loving kisses on his cheek.

"I don't worry about anything when you do that." He admitted with a peaceful sighing, feeling her climb over onto him, straddling his hips as she pressed her lips against his, roughly taking her lips against his into a passionate kiss.

Punk stripped her clothes from her in an instant, and also got his own off too, still sitting on the couch whilst she kissed him, her kiss sometimes travelling to his neck as she began palming herself, stroking her clit with her fingers.

"Someone is impatient." He said as she grinned, feeling him take her hand from herself, raising it to his mouth where he began licking her fingers, "Shouldn't have done that." He admitted as AJ felt him suddenly flip her onto her back on the couch, feeling him travel down her body, tucking his arms under her legs, parting them whilst settling his face at her core where he began to use his tongue upon, always getting a wonderful reaction from her.

"Oh… Oh my god, that's it. Oh, right there." AJ moaned, running her hands through her hair as she ground her hips in the direction of his mouth, not being able to handle the sheer pleasure his tongue brought to her body. She felt like she was floating. On another planet.

Punk slipped two fingers inside her wetness eventually and began to speed her orgasm along, using his tongue to take her clit into his mouth, sucking on it and teasing the skin around it whilst fingering her hard.

"Oh, fuck! Yes! Yes! I'm gonna… Oh..." She sat right up, looking down as she cried out in ecstacy, "Oh, yes!" She moaned, collapsing down on her back again as she ran her hand up and down her body, cupping her breasts and smiling to herself as her whole body tingled, feeling Punk travel back up her body, opening up her eyes to see him face to face with her, pressing a kiss against his lips as he pulled her back up onto him where they had started, with him straddling his hips.

"Turn around." Punk said as she turned around so her back was to him, still straddling him, just in reverse. She felt him place his length at her entrance, depending on her as she sank down upon him, taking him all in completely whilst she moaned.

"Fuck! Oh God." AJ moaned, collapsing back against his chest whilst he began thrusting up into her rapidly, not giving her a minute to even catch her breath, ridging her body completely as he pummelled her g-spot time and time again.

"You're so fucking tight, baby." Punk moaned, kissing her shoulder whilst holding her hips as he thrusted up into her roughly, almost knocking her into next week. Perhaps it was all this tension he had from the past few days, but he didn't see her complaining.

"Fuck yes! Just like that… fuck… fuck me hard." AJ moaned, rolling her head back so it rested on his shoulder, her back completely pressed against his chest whilst he thrusted into her, "I'm close." She moaned to him.

"Fuck, you feel amazing." He moaned, tangling his hand around her and stroking her clit with his fingers whilst thrusting into him at the same time.

"Oh, god I'm gonna… I'm gonna cum!" AJ moaned loudly, her body quivering atop of him whilst he continued to thrust into her to meet his own release, eventually finding it and spilling himself inside her, feeling her body close against his whilst his length pulsed inside her.

"Fuck." He gasped, trying to catch his breath back whilst AJ turned her head and kissed his cheek, in perfect position to do so. They still had each other. They always would.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think.**


	20. Admitting It

**Admitting It**

* * *

"I'll be getting out in a few days. Well… that's what I hope." Rick said whilst AJ fixed his pillows for him, Punk sitting by on the armchair beside.

"Well it's when your doctor think you're ready." Punk reminded him, "You know me and April are here to come round if you need help with anything." He said.

"Not to worry. I have your mother." Rick shook his head, "Thank you, AJ." He smiled to AJ after she adjusted his pillows, watching her take a seat beside Punk and smile to him. She had a lot of time for Punk's father. He was a hands on grandfather with the kids and was very fond of her. They got on well. He was present at their wedding, was first in line to hold Harry and Louisa when they were first born, and had also done good by them in terms of Christmas and birthdays and just taking them for a day out.

"Where is mom anyway?" Punk asked him curiously. They'd deliberately came later on at night because Punk supposed his brother or mom wouldn't be around, although he was surprised that his mother wasn't.

"I tell her to go home past 9pm. She gets tired and I don't want her sitting here all night." Rick said, "And you don't have to worry about Mike, he's already seen me. He came by this morning." He said.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about yesterday." Punk said, "He just pushes it with me." He said, "And since when was he married?" He questioned.

"They've been married for about a year now." Rick said, "I never bothered to tell you because I knew you wouldn't care." Rick shrugged, "She's a nice girl. Like him I guess. So maybe you should just stay clear of her." He shrugged.

"Nice girl with a lot of money?" Punk questioned.

"Her parents are rich." Rick said as Punk just nodded.

"Does she get on with mom?" Punk asked as Rick smiled.

"I thought you didn't care about them both." Rick grinned.

"I don't. Just curious." He shrugged, looking down as Rick and AJ exchanged glances.

"They get on." Rick nodded, "Truth is… Mike isn't really around anymore. They live about an hour from here. She's always working and he's well… he's Mike. Doesn't get up from his backside unless someone is getting married, has died, or he's getting money out of it." He shrugged.

"Why has mom been weird?" Punk asked.

"What do you mean weird?" Rick shook his head.

"Nice?" Punk said, "She was being really nice to us the first day we visited. And with her taking Harry to the cafeteria." He said, "Just seemed out of character for her."

"I think she got a fright." Rick admitted, "If she loses me, who does she have? A son who lives too far away to care and one who won't even give her the time of day." He said.

"So she's trying to be nice to me now that she realises she'll have no one if you… leave." Punk said.

"When you put it that way it sounds awful, but she's realising her own mistakes. I've only waited thirty four years for her to realise." He groaned.

"So what? She wants to be my mom all of a sudden? Now you've had a heart attack?" Punk asked.

"She's always wanted to be your mom, Phil." Rick said, "She's just not been keeping well lately. She's not happy, and she knows I can't do anything about it because it's between you and her." He said, "But all she keeps saying to me is… Rick, I wish I'd done things differently." Rick said as AJ turned to Punk who looked at her 'see, I told you so' face.

"Damage is already done." Punk said, "That isn't something you just change your mind on over night. One minute she doesn't want me near her, calls April all the words under the sun, always looks down on me, and now suddenly she regrets it all and wants a relationship with me?" Punk said, "She's scared that when you go, she's gonna be left all alone. That's it." Punk said.

"You don't always need to be stubborn." Rick reminded him.

"I try telling him that." AJ said as Punk turned to her, glaring at her.

"I thought we talked about this?" Punk shook his head at his wife.

"What?" AJ said.

"That how this has nothing to do with you." Punk said as Rick raised his eyebrows.

"Phil." Rick said.

"And no offence, but it has nothing to do with you either." Punk turned to his father.

"You asked how your mother was, Phillip. I told you." Rick said bluntly, "Do not take this out on me or your wife." He said as Punk just looked down at the ground, "I think this is getting to you more than you want to admit, and I think you need to just let go of all this hatred you're forcing yourself to have." He said, "Talk to her. I'm not saying hug her and tell her you love her, just have a conversation with her. Baby steps like that might turn into something you've wished you always had." He said.

"I don't want her in my life. I've been fine without her." Punk said.

"Have you?" AJ asked as Punk turned to her.

"What? You think it's been getting me down? Have I seemed unhappy to you?"

"No. But I know you think about it." AJ said.

"Oh, so now you're a mind reader?" Punk said as AJ just turned away from him. She wasn't liking how he seemed to be speaking down to her all of a sudden. Just like last night. She thought they'd got over it and made up, but he seemed to just be bringing the tension back up again.

"I'm going for a coffee." AJ announced, walking out of the room and closing the door behind her as Punk ran his hand through his hair.

"Why are you speaking to her like that?" Rick noticed and wondered.

"Like what?" Punk shook his head.

"Like she's a piece of dirt." Rick said, "I didn't raise you like that."

"It's nothing she's just… moody." Punk said.

"No… I think you'll find that it's you that's the moody one." Rick said, "Don't talk down to her like that. You have no idea how wonderful she really is."

"I do. I do know." Punk said, "It's just been hard. You being in here. Her… telling me about this book she wants to write." Punk shook his head tiredly.

"I know she's gonna make me wait, but c'mon… tell me what the book is about." Rick said anxiously.

"You really wanna know?" Punk asked as Rick nodded, "Ok, well as a kid… as a teenager. She was abused by her teacher. Sexually." Punk said as Rick sat back a little, "Her family had her living like she was in the 40's. No rated R movies, books, magazines. I don't think she realised what was actually going on, I think that made it all the more worse for her." He said.

"What age was she?" Rick asked.

"15." Punk said, "The guy was 38." He said as Rick shook his head.

"Scum." Rick spat harshly, "I would have never have guessed. She carries herself so well."

"I don't think it brings her down." Punk said, "She's so strong. And she's doing this book to get awareness out there that things like that do go on." He said, "I think I'm almost intimidated by her." He admitted.

"Why?" Rick shook his head.

"She's so strong. Keeps herself all together." He said, "Even when talking about you, she was so positive and told me you'd be fine."

"I'm sure she wasn't always strong like that." Rick said, "And I'm sure a lot of it is put on for you. You don't know how she really feels. Inside her head." He said, "Just don't be at each other's throats all the time. That's where cracks begin to form." He said, "Don't talk down to her."

"Was it really that bad?" He asked.

"From where I'm sitting. Yeah it was pretty patronising." Rick nodded as Punk sighed, collapsing back on the chair and running his hands through hair hair.

Meanwhile AJ had got a coffee and made her way outside for some fresh air. She couldn't keep letting it slide just because he was going through a hard time. He had to stop talking to her this way or else they were going to have a problem. She understood he was tired, confused, no doubt upset and angry, but that didn't mean he had to take it all out on her when all she was doing was making sure he was ok. That's all she was ever doing.

She figured she'd go back in after she finished her coffee, so she sipped away, noticing his mother walking down the pathway heading for the main entrance, watching her notice her and surprisingly stop in her tracks.

"Hi." Patrice nodded.

"Hey." AJ smiled, "Rick and Phil are up in the room." She told her.

"Things getting too much for you?" Patrice asked curiously with a warm smile. Although AJ agreed with Punk, it wasn't right for her to all of a sudden want to have a relationship with him and a bond, especially when not long ago she treated him like dirt, and her, but she did see the woman was trying.

"Your son is too much for me. That's the problem." AJ said as Patrice laughed.

"I just came by to drop some things off for Rick. I forgot to bring them with me earlier and I couldn't go to sleep without giving them to him. It's just some toiletries and stuff." She said as AJ nodded.

"I don't think we're gonna stay much longer anyway." AJ said, "Have to get home for the kids." She told her as Patrice just nodded.

"Ok… well I'll let you have your coffee. It's just a flying visit." She said.

"Oh, I'm finished anyway." AJ lied, still having half a cup left, throwing it in the trash beside her, "I'll walk to the room with you." She smiled pleasantly as Patrice seemed happily surprised, smiling as they walked into the hospital together in simple conversation.

Unlike Punk, she was able to see when a person wanted to change for the better, and was really trying. Maybe she had some issues with Punk and her relationship with him, but she was a very spiteful woman, and AJ could sense she was changing her ways. Big time. Perhaps that was what Rick was on about. She could see a big change in her.

They both took the elevator up to the room and both got strange looks from Punk and Rick when they entered the room.

"I forgot to give you these." Patrice said, immediately going straight to Rick, "It's just some toiletries and things. I completely forgot." She shook her head, sitting the bag down beside is bed as he just smiled.

"It's alright." Rick told her whilst Punk turned to AJ with confusion.

"What'd she say?" Punk whispered.

"Nothing about you." AJ told him bluntly, turning away as Punk watched her with a sigh. Oh how he had fucked up. He hated pissing her off because she'd just completely give him the cold shoulder, which he knew he deserved, but he hated finding himself in a fight with her.

"I'm sorry earlier. I didn't mean to snap-"

"Forget it." AJ said quickly and emotionless.

"I know but I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"I said it's fine." AJ shook her head, "You're only gonna do it again tomorrow and the next day and the next day… doesn't matter."

"No I'm not." Punk said, "April, look at me." He said quietly in their own private conversation, "It's just been hard the past few days. I'm sorry for taking it out on you. I'll make it up to you somehow." He said.

"Whatever." AJ just shook her head, "Can we go soon? I want to get the kids home." She said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah." Punk said, looking over to his mom who was talking to his father, "Yeah, we can go." He nodded.

* * *

AJ and Punk left the hospital with Punk managing not to make contact with his mother. He was curious as to why her and AJ had entered the room together, but then again, he didn't really want to question AJ on anything right now. She was very annoyed with him.

They picked up the kids from Connor's and got them home and into bed, in other words, AJ told Punk to leave her alone whilst she put the kids to bed, she didn't want his help tonight, so he headed on into their own room, stripping out of his clothes, down to his boxers, sitting down on the edge of the bed and rubbing his face tiredly.

He eventually heard her come into their room, turning around and standing up, watching as she began stripping her clothes and reaching for her pyjama shorts and a vest t-shirt.

"You gonna talk to me?" Punk asked her, turning around as she shrugged.

"Depends." AJ said, "You gonna patronise me and speak down to me?" She asked him.

"April, I didn't mean-"

"You never do." AJ said.

"Hold on… don't act like I do this all the time. I've had a rough few days, I'm sorry for snapping at you but it isn't a regular occurrence, and you know fine well it isn't."

"I never said it was." AJ said, "You said you never meant it last night. Or was that just so you could fuck me?" She said.

"No. I was sorry last night, and I'm sorry again." He said, "It's been tough."

"I know it has. But we're supposed to get through this together." She said, "Stupid things like this shouldn't be dividing us." She shook her head.

"And it won't." He said, walking around the bed and grabbing her hands, "I'm sorry. I really am. I lost my temper and I just… snapped. All this talk about my mom and my brother is getting to me. I'm pretending it isn't, but it is." She said, "And I'm not sure what to do." He shook his head.

"Why can't you just admit that then?" She shook her head.

"Because I know it's just gonna open up another can of worms." He said.

"Why are you so afraid to face her?"

"It's not about me being afraid." He said, "You can't… you can't wake up one morning and suddenly realising that for the past thirty four years you've been treating your son wrong." He said, "I don't trust it."

"There doesn't have to be a reason behind her changing. Maybe she has just suddenly realised what she's missed out on with you." She shrugged, "You have to stop putting up this… this cold, angry, bitter guard and just be yourself, talk to her. And stop taking it out on me." She said.

"It's only you that matters." He shook his head, "I'm sorry… I'm sorry for snapping at you. I really am." He cupped her cheeks as she just smiled. He did seem sincere, and of course she couldn't stay mad at him. He was having a hard time, and at least he had admitted now that he was a little frightened and suspicious of his mother's changed ways.

"Promise me you'll not run from this, or shut it out." She said, taking his hands from her cheeks and into her own.

"I… I promise." He nodded. She was right. He just had to face it.

"Good." AJ nodded, "And you are forgiven." She told him, "Just don't take things out on me when I'm only trying to help." She said as he nodded.

"I won't. I promise." He said, "You're the best thing that's happened to me." He said as she smiled, leaning up on her tippy toes to press a kiss on his lips, feeling him deepen it and pick her up to place her on the bed.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	21. Break In

**Broken In**

* * *

A week had gone by and finally Punk's father was getting out of hospital and getting to go home. He was still on complete bed rest was now fortunate enough to be back in his home comforts.

Punk had spent the week dodging his mother and brother at the hospital and having some time to think about what it was he really wanted to do. He'd admitted it, he was suspicious as to why his mom was all of a sudden being nice to him. His brother wasn't even in the picture. Mike would always be Mike and everyone knew that, but he was giving his mother a great deal of thought for the past week.

He'd also been busy with turning the garage into an office for AJ. She knew nothing about it. He'd been working at it when she'd gone out with the kids or if she'd take a nap during the day, and he had finally finished it.

"Why are you doing this? I can't see a thing." AJ complained as Punk guided her through their kitchen and to the door to their garage, a blind fold covering her eyes so she couldn't see a thing.

"Well that's the point." He grinned a little, opening up the door to the garage, "Ok, step down." He instructed as she took a step down and paused as he stood behind, "Ok, you ready?" He asked her.

"Yes, I'm ready." AJ nodded.

"Ok, take off your blind fold." He smiled, shuffling over a little so he could see her face as she took the blind fold off and gasped.

"Oh my god." She said with surprise. A place which once was a space for clutter and garbage had now turned into something so beautiful. It was just like another room to their house and she was so bewildered that she hadn't noticed him doing it, "Oh, Phil. It's wonderful." She said, clasping her hands over her mouth as she looked around. It had everything she needed. A desk to write at, her laptop of course, some cute figures and nick nacks, shelves and filing cabinets along the wall. She was totally in love.

"You like it?" He smiled, "It's been keeping me busy, and I thought I had a lot of making up to do from last week." He admitted as she just tutted.

"You shouldn't have. We sorted all that out." AJ said, "But I just… I love it." She said with such excitement, looking around as Punk watched her. He loved nothing more than to see her happy, "How did I not even notice."

"Well… most of the hard work I got some help from guys in work. They'd come round when you'd taken the kids out, or when you'd fall asleep watching TV." He said, "I didn't think I'd have it finished so quick though." He said.

"I love it so much." AJ shook her head, "I can't wait to start writing now." She smiled, rushing over to him and launching herself into him, cuddling him tightly as he hugged her back.

"I'm glad you like it, baby." He smiled, kissing her head.

"I love it." She said with a peaceful sigh. Perhaps he got it wrong sometimes when speaking to her, but she understood he had been all over the place recently. This proved his heart was always full of love and good intentions. For her anyway.

"You still wanna go see my dad?" He asked as she nodded.

"Yeah, of course. I thought we were taking the kids." She looked up at him.

"I don't know. Maybe it's still too soon." He said.

"You know how much he wants to see them. He's looking really good." She said, "You better not be worrying about your mom." She said.

"I'm not." Punk shook his head as they walked back into the kitchen, shutting the door over that led to the office, walking back through into the living room where Harry and Louisa were. Harry was on the sofa watching TV whilst Louisa lay on her mat.

"I think they'll really cheer him up." AJ said as Punk just nodded.

"Yeah. Alright." He nodded.

* * *

They arrived at Punk's parents house just after dinner time. Harry was very excited to see his grandfather and Louisa… well she was fast asleep.

Rick was incredibly happy to see his grandchildren. Although he was upstairs in bed resting, he insisted they come up to see him and that's just what they did.

"How are you feeling?" Punk asked, watching Harry climb up on the bed and over to Rick who gave him a big bear hug.

"I'm feeling great." Rick smiled as AJ sat down on the edge of the bed with Louisa sleeping in her arms, "Give me my granddaughter. I haven't had a cuddle for a long time." He said as AJ smiled.

"Well don't wake her up. She's just gone to sleep." AJ said, as a tired mother, she was very strict about people waking up her children, and Rick had a tendency to do that.

"Hush, woman. I'll not wake her." He said as AJ smiled, passing Louisa over to him as he cradled her with a smile.

Meanwhile Punk's mother had walked into the room discretely, causing Punk to turn around along with AJ.

"Do you… do you both want anything?" She asked AJ and Punk.

"No, I'm ok thanks." AJ smiled pleasantly.

"I'm good." Punk nodded politely.

"Daddy, can I have a drink?" Harry asked.

"Patrice, fetch the boy a drink." Rick said as Punk noticed his mother looking to him for permission. It wasn't meant to be this way. He didn't want this. He didn't take joy out of this. But what was so different now to a few years back. Regardless, he decided to be the bigger man for once.

"Harry, why don't you go down and have a look." Punk nodded over to his mom as his son scrambled off the bed and ran on ahead as Patrice smiled.

She disappeared happily as AJ turned to Punk with a smile.

"Isn't so hard, is it?" Rick asked.

"I still don't know what to do." Punk admitted, folding his arms, "Why is she being so nice? C'mon, you must know."

"I think she's just realised a lot of things, Phil. Me having this heart attack… I think it made her realise that every day counts. And I'm not saying it's made her realise that she has no one and that she has to start befriending you now, nothing like that… but c'mon, you don't think she's given you the cold shoulder all these years because she enjoys it, do you?" He said.

"Seemed like it to me." He shrugged.

"I don't know what it is with you. Like I said. She's been this way with you since you were born. I think it's a conversation you need to have with her. I'm not a mind reader. I don't know what she's thinking." He said.

"I can't just pop out with it." He shook his head.

"Then ease into it." Rick said, "Take things slowly."

"I don't know." Punk ran his hand over his face tiredly, "I just don't get it. It's not even like she just never paid attention to me. She was horrible to me. She said horrible things… to me and to April."

"And I'm sure she regrets it." Rick said, "You two don't have to be the best of friends. All I'm asking is you give her a chance. I know she might not deserve it but… she's still your mom." Rick said as Punk just sighed.

"Fuck, I don't know."

"Language, boy." Rick said, "Especially with the little lady around." He looked down at Louisa as Punk just rolled his eyes. It was a hard thing to decide. Whether or not he could forgive and forget everything that had gone on, and get some answers, or whether he just couldn't look beyond it all and had to isolate himself from his mother again. He didn't know what to do.

* * *

Punk and AJ left his parents house later on. Nothing but civil nods and weak smiles were exchanged between Punk and his mother, but this was the most affection he'd ever received from her. He didn't know how to feel about it. Maybe the reason he was so tough and stubborn all the time was because he was practically just raised by his father as a kid. He had no mom hugging him when he fell and cut his knee, or was upset over a nightmare. She wasn't like that with him and maybe that's what was making it so hard for him to forgive her.

"Why is our alarm going off?" AJ asked as they pulled up into their drive. Louisa was still fast asleep in her car seat and Harry was next to her in his almost falling asleep too.

"Stay here." Punk told her as AJ nodded with worry, watching him head on into the house, looking around the place and seeing no sign of anything stolen, but their house had definitely been broken into. He emerged back out of the house, "Phone the cops anyway." Punk shrugged.

"Bit of an odd time to break into someone's house." AJ admitted stepping out the car. They did live in a bit of a rough neighbourhood. Their estate was nice of course, but the neighbourhood was a little rough around the edges.

"Fuckers obviously seen there was no one in." Punk grunted, "Nothing has been taken though." He admitted.

"That's strange." AJ shook her head, "I'm not sure I wanna go inside." She said, lifting Harry out of the car as he sleepily rested his head on her shoulder whilst Punk got Louisa.

"I just checked, no one is there." He promised her, scooping Louisa into his arms and locking the car, walking into their house as AJ followed behind, "You go put them to bed, I'll call the cops and look around more." He said as she just nodded, walking upstairs with the kids.

She got Louisa down in her crib in their bedroom right away, and then headed into Harry's room, getting him in his pyjamas and settled into bed, leaving his room and re-entering her own.

She never felt unsafe in her home, especially with Punk around, but she hated knowing someone had possibly been in their house snooping around, and it worried her even more that they hadn't found what they were looking for.

She decided to slip into something more comfortable, aka some shorts and a jumper, when she found something strange that confused her a little. She seen their washing basket tipped out in the corner of the room, and on top of that, her things in it were gone. She was sure she'd put some underwear and an old t-shirt in it, and they seemed to have disappeared.

She further inspected the room now looking for anything else that was different when she seen her hair brush missing from her bedside table, and her underwear drawer a complete mess unlike how tidy she normally had it. She felt a little sick and tried to persuade herself it was probably just her, but then she walked into their bathroom in their room and seen her toothbrush was gone.

"Phil!" She screamed in a cry whilst rushing to the top of the stairs, watching him appear quickly, "Please come here." She cried.

* * *

 **A/N: Uh oh. Let me know what you think.**


	22. Dream

**Dream**

* * *

" _April, what would you like for dinner tonight?" Nancy asked whilst AJ, grown and today's age, watched herself, a fifteen year old, storm by her on the staircase. She followed herself curiously, wondering down the stairs and looking down the hall into the kitchen._

" _I don't want anything. I'm going to the library." Fifteen year old April said as AJ watched curiously. She knew she wasn't here. It had to be a dream of some sort, but she let it play out._

 _She watched as her younger self flew by her and out of the door. Her mother hadn't even questioned her on why she was going to the library and who with. She just told her she'd leave the leftovers from dinner in the pot for her when she got home._

 _And suddenly, without any movement, she found herself in her school, running her fingertips over the freshly painted walls, turning her head as she watched herself rush through the main entrance, quickly walking by and down the long corridor. She knew she'd been here before. This was a day that played out before. It was just like all the rest of her foolishly led teenage days._

 _She watched herself as she walked into that fateful classroom, noticing herself check to see if there was anyone around before entering the classroom._

" _Don't go." AJ whispered to herself as she watched in the light hallway, "Don't go in. Go back home." She said to herself, watching as she walked into the classroom and shut the door over. She wondered why she was even here._

 _Her head turned again as she heard someone else come through the main entrance. It was suddenly bright and hard to see, but the frame appeared into clear view and she gasped._

" _Phil." She shook her head as she watched him walk straight by her. She followed out of curiosity. He wasn't the Punk she knew. He was young. Babyfaced. Just a kid. She wasn't entirely sure where all of this was going._

" _Punk?" AJ squeaked as she watched Punk walk fast paced, jogging behind him to catch up as she watched him walk straight into the classroom, she followed into the room curiously and watched as the Punk she never knew grab that haunting teacher from her._

" _Get off her!" Punk squeaked, fixing his cap on his head, "The cops are coming." He pointed to the teacher as AJ watched, wandering to the back of the classroom with folded arms and a smile as she watched it all play out._

 _Suddenly that awful teacher she pained to see again was rushing out of the classroom and she was finding herself standing in front of herself and her husband minus multiple years._

" _Who are you?" Fifteen year old AJ shook her head as she shuffled away from the boy who picked up her books from the ground and sat them over on a desk._

" _I'm Phil." He smiled, "I don't want you to be used anymore." He shook his head._

" _Have you been stalking me or something?" April said, taking her books from the desk as she looked across at the boy, "I've never seen you in my life."_

" _Most people haven't." Punk nodded, "It's like your invisible, right?" He said as AJ stood at the back of the classroom laughing._

" _Really?" She whispered to herself as she watched her younger self smile._

" _Yeah." Younger April nodded, "You go to school here?" She asked._

" _No. I'm from Chicago." He shook his head, "I just came here to open your eyes a little." He said._

" _Open my eyes for what?"_

" _That guy… that teacher… you shouldn't go near him anymore." He said, "He's using you."_

" _No he isn't." April shook her head._

" _He is." Punk nodded, "You don't realise it because you don't have anyone else to tell you otherwise." He said, "Well I'm telling you now. Stay away from him." He said._

" _He's nice to me." AJ shrugged, "You wouldn't understand."_

" _I will one day." He nodded, "We're gonna cross paths. Trust me." He smirked as AJ chuckled at the back of the classroom._

" _What are you? Some sort of time traveller?" April laughed as Punk just shrugged._

" _Maybe." He nodded, "If I was… I'd go back further to stop you from getting yourself into this in the first place."_

" _I didn't get myself into anything." AJ batted back._

" _Oh, but you did." Punk said, "You're gonna write a book about it actually."_

" _A book?" April shook her head, "Why would I do that?"_

" _Well… you're gonna realise soon what this guy was doing to you, it's gonna hurt, you're gonna be upset, you're gonna move to Chicago when you're eighteen. Gonna be a show girl." He grinned like a typical fifteen year old boy._

" _Me? I don't think so." April shook her head modestly._

" _You are. Gonna have a snake and everything." He said as both younger April and older April laughed in sync._

" _Alright, mister know it all… what else happens?" She smiled curiously._

" _You're gonna have a best friend. Kady." He said, "I know it's hard to believe but you two are gonna be inseparable." He said._

" _Oh, no. See now I know you're just being stupid because I don't make friends." She said._

" _You will." Punk said, "Trust me. And you're gonna have a ton of boyfriends who just… disappoint you. Jerks." He added, "And then you're gonna meet this… amazing, funny, good looking young guy, and damn your life is gonna be tipped upside down." He said._

" _Really?" April laughed._

" _Really." Punk nodded, "You're gonna marry him. You're gonna have two kids."_

" _Do you do this with everyone you meet? Predict their future?" She asked curiously._

" _Just you." He smiled, "I may not have this irresistible blonde hair or lip ring in the future, but I take good care of you." He nodded, "Our kids are amazing. Harry, our son… he's so funny. He looks just like me. Got the green eyes, even the smirk. That drives you crazy." He laughed a little, "And our daughter, Louisa. She's all you. She's gorgeous." He smiled, "Still got my eyes though." He smirked._

" _You think you're gonna have all this with me?" April laughed._

" _Trust me, I know I'm gonna have all this stuff with you." He said, "You should probably wake up. Louisa is crying." He said as AJ began to see the image in front of her as a blur, until…_

"April." Punk shook his wife as AJ sat up, looking on at Punk who held a crying Louisa in his arms, "Hey, we're good to go home now." He told her as AJ looked up at him curiously, cupping his cheek softly as he looked at her in confusion.

"What?" He laughed whilst bouncing Louisa softly in his arms.

"It really looked like you." She whispered to herself without him hearing.

"C'mon. Kady wants us out of here." He stood up, "And Harry is getting impatient."

"Yeah… yeah, just give me a few minutes." She insisted whilst getting out of Kady's spare bed. They had spent the night there with the kids because of the police being in their home taking a look at things.

"Phil?" She called out before he left the room as he shuffled backwards and turned back to face her.

"Yeah?" He said as she studied him closely.

"You had blonde hair when you were fifteen… right?" She smiled a little as he raised his eyebrows.

"Uh… yeah… yeah, I think so." He nodded, "Why?" He laughed a little.

"I was just… I was just wondering." She shook her head.

"Alright… well, c'mon, we gotta head off." He said as she nodded, watching him leave the room with Louisa in his arms, smiling to herself a little as she headed off to the bathroom to get freshened up from what she could describe as a lively night of sleeping.

* * *

They got home after AJ got up and got ready and were thankful to be back home with the police out looking for whatever creep it was in their house last night.

"You told me everything that was gonna happen." She said, in the middle of making lunch, "Told me about us… the kids… my book." She said as Punk smiled, amused at her dream she had.

"So… how do you know I'm not from the future? And that did really happen?" He smiled as she chuckled.

"Oh, shut up." She hissed, "It seemed so real though. And… was it bad… I never wanted to wake up?" She turned to him.

"Well… a little. I mean… hello." He pointed over to Harry who sat at the kitchen table.

"Oh, no… I don't mean like that. Oh, god no." She shook her head, "I just… I liked watching us. You made me laugh." She smiled.

"I did?" Punk said with a smirk.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "You made my teacher leave." She said.

"I sound like the perfect superhero." He smiled.

"Daddy you're not a superhero!" Harry shouted as AJ laughed whilst Punk rolled his eyes.

"So you've told me." He said, "How do you not know I'm one in disguise?" He turned to his son who shrugged.

"I just know." Harry smirked as AJ smiled whilst watching him.

"You just know?" Punk repeated as Harry nodded, causing Punk to smile and turn back to AJ who was smiling, "You know… for someone who has just had her house broken into and had her underwear drawer raided and her hairbrush stolen… you seem annoyingly happy." He said.

"I just really wish I knew you as a kid." She shrugged, "I think my life would have been a lot easier."

"Maybe." He nodded, "Wouldn't have made you as strong as you are today though." He said.

"I only became strong when you appeared." She said.

"I wish my dreams gripped me in like yours do." He laughed a little.

"Oh, please… you dream about threesomes and becoming president." She scoffed.

"I'd be a good president and that threesome one happened one time, alright." He hissed as she just smiled.

"I don't know… it's just made me happy. Is that so bad?" She asked whilst cutting up slices of bread.

"No." Punk shook his head, "It's just weird… you were so shaken up last night." He said.

"I still am. I'm still terrified. Someone was in our house clearly looking for something. But I have you." She said as he smiled.

"You do." He nodded.

"And if I have you… I'm fine. You take good care of me." She nodded.

"I'd like to think so." He said, "You are freaking me out a little though." He admitted as she laughed, smacking him with the dish towel beside her.

"Next time I'll keep my dreams to myself." She said.

"No. I liked hearing about this one." He smiled, "I just hope you're ok after last night." He said.

"I'll be fine. Cops have their evidence. They're aware of it. I'm safe with you. What else can I do?" She said as he smiled.

"Well… whilst you were dreaming about my cute blonde hair all night, I was up… thinking about what I'm gonna do about my mom." He said.

"And?" AJ questioned whilst placing lunch on a plate whilst Punk grabbed some chips from the cupboard to put in a bowl.

"And… I think I'm gonna talk to her." Punk said, "Taking baby steps obviously, but I gotta start somewhere… if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out." He shrugged as she smiled.

"I think it's the right thing to do." She nodded, "Harry, do you want a juice box, baby?" She asked as Harry nodded from over at the table.

"And I know it'd make my dad really happy… and hey, it might be good for me." He said.

"It might." She nodded, "And if not… at least you can say you tried and if it doesn't work out… you still have us." She smiled.

"I'll always have you." He smiled, pressing a kiss on her cheek as she smiled, taking lunch over to the table with him as they joined Harry who was awaiting his lunch.

"That was long." Harry sighed tiredly as Punk and AJ laughed.

"Hey, cheeky." AJ laughed as Harry reached for a sandwich, suddenly beginning to hear Louisa cry from upstairs.

"I'll get her." Punk smiled, getting up and leaving the kitchen. He was completely livid and furious about everything that had happened last night. Knowing someone had been in their home and in their bedroom was completely disturbing and boiling his blood, but he was keeping it together for AJ, and he couldn't help but feel calm just from her complete calmness through it all. Hopefully the cops would get a lead on a suspect of some sort soon.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	23. Taking it Slow

**Taking it Slow**

* * *

"It's late." Punk said, walking into AJ's office, leaning his side against the wall with folded arms, "I should probably get you a clock for in here." He admitted, watching her take off her glasses and sit them down.

"I lost track of time." She told him as he walked further into the room, taking a seat on her desk whilst she sat back on her chair, "I've barely even wrote anything." He admitted.

"You aren't gonna have it all wrote out in a night, April." He smiled a little, "It's gonna take some time."

"I know it will, but I just couldn't find any words to use." She shook her head, "And I even had a look through my journals… nothing helped." She said, "What if I can't write it?" She panicked as he shook his head.

"You'll be able to. The more you get on at yourself and force yourself, the less you're gonna want to do it." He said, "Just take your time." He encouraged.

"I guess I've had a lot of my mind too." He admitted, "Trying to put a brave face on and pretend I'm not fussed about the break in, but… truth is, it's getting to me." She said.

"I know it is." He said as she tilted her head, "What? I can read you like a book." He said, "Cops have a notice on it. I got new security alarms fitted yesterday, and plus… I won't let anything happen to you."

"I know you won't." She smiled, "I don't think I'd be that scared if our TV was gone, or our car was gone, or they'd taken money and other valuable things… it's just the thought of someone in our bedroom, taking things that really have no value." She said, "It's weird." She shivered.

"I know it is. Trust me. My blood boils whenever I think of it. But there's a lot of creeps out there." He said, "Hopefully the cops will get a run on it and give us back some information."

"Hopefully." AJ nodded, "And maybe I'd be less frightened if it was just us two, but having the kids here… I couldn't handle it if I something happened to them." She admitted.

"Nothing is gonna happen to them." Punk promised, "I thought we could go visit my dad tomorrow. Maybe stay for dinner with the kids. Might take your mind off things, and I guess… well, I guess I needa see my mom." He said as she nodded.

"Yeah, sounds good." She nodded tiredly.

"But right now however, you need to go to bed." He told her, "C'mon, shut it all down. It can wait." He ordered, standing up as she closed her laptop down and turned the lights off in the office, walking over to him as he wrapped his arm around her whilst leaving the room.

* * *

"Are you sure you can get out of bed?" AJ questioned the next night, round at Punk's parents house whilst she seen Rick limp through into the kitchen.

"Yeah, it's good for me to be moving around." Rick said.

"Not all the time though." Patrice shot whilst standing at the stove keeping a watch on dinner.

"Where is Phil?" Rick asked.

"Harry was getting bored so he took him into the garden." AJ said, cradling Louisa in her arms who had just had her bottle, now softly closing her eyes at the warm chatter in the kitchen.

"That boy is easily bored." Rick chuckled whilst sitting down at the table.

"He's constantly wanting to run about." AJ shook her head.

"May I?" Rick asked, holding his arms out to hold Louisa as AJ nodded, passing her over as Rick comfortably took her into his arms.

"Do you need a hand?" AJ turned around to Patrice who look stunned. She was very taken back by this request from Punk to sit down and have dinner with her included. She knew this was her chance now and had to make sure she said all the right things.

"Well… those potatoes need peeled." She replied as AJ stood up, "Only if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't." AJ said, "Although, Phil does all the cooking in our house. I'm a terrible cook." She admitted sheepishly whilst peeling the potatoes.

"Rick can't cook." Patrice said secretively.

"I heard that." Rick said as AJ smiled.

"Phil must get it from me." Patrice said proudly as AJ nodded, "Rick said… he said your house was broken into." Patrice said, striking up conversation with AJ whilst Rick was busy with Louisa.

"Uh… yeah, it was." AJ nodded, "Nothing was taken… well, nothing expensive or valuable. They did have a good look in our bedroom. Took some things of mine." She said.

"And you called the cops?" Patrice asked.

"Yeah, right away." She said, "We're waiting on them getting back to us with any news, but I highly doubt they'll be out there tearing down buildings to find out who it was." She said.

"That's strange that they wouldn't take anything of expense." Patrice admitted.

"Strange and creepy." AJ said, "But we're alright. I'm still a little iffy about it all and I know Phil is really mad about it, but we're ok, that's the main thing." She said as Patrice nodded.

"I guess there isn't much you can do." Patrice said, "You called the cops, that's all you can really do." She admitted as AJ nodded.

She figured this was now her opportunity. She knew she had a great apology to give her daughter in law, and she felt it right to say it now, "April." She turned to her as AJ looked up from peeling the potatoes.

"Yeah?" AJ said.

"I'd like to apologise for the way I've been these past few years you've been with my son." She said, "There's no hiding me and Phil have had a rough relationship, and what I've said to you, to your face and behind your back, I couldn't be more sorry for it. You are nothing short of a wonderful woman, and what I've said to you has been unfair. I really do apologise." She said as AJ was taken back a little.

"It's ok." She shook her head.

"It's not." Patrice said immediately, "The things I said were truly unforgivable, I really am sorry." She said.

"I forgive you." AJ nodded whilst Rick watched unnoticed, pretending he was paying all his attention to Louisa, "The whore thing… I get it all the time. Well… not anymore, but I understand it-"

"It still never gave me a right." She said as AJ just nodded.

"What changed? I know Phil isn't the only one curious as to why you've had a change of heart." AJ admitted.

"Seeing Rick lying in a hospital bed… it made me realise how short life is, and I… I don't want to be on my death bed one day with a song who hates me, grandchildren I never knew, a daughter in law I never got to bond with." She shook her head, "I'm not saying me and Phil have to be worlds greatest mother and son bond, but I'd really like to be given a chance." She said as AJ smiled.

"He's soft really." AJ said, "That cold, bitter, angry front he puts on is just for show. Say the right things and he'll let you in." She nodded with a smile.

"I hope so." She said, "I still remember him as a baby. So small. We couldn't even hold him when he was born, couldn't we not?" She turned to Rick who shook his head, "He was tiny and I just… cut myself off from him since then, and he began to resent me for it… I know he did." She said.

"There is still tons of time to make it right with him." AJ nodded. She was very good at being able to tell fake from real, and his mom was being very real here she could sense. There was almost a tone of plead in her voice, "I just don't see Phil and his brother every giving each other a chance though." She admitted, going back to peeling the potatoes.

"Oh, me neither." Patrice laughed a little, "They two boys are like salt and pepper." She shook her head, "Phil is just like his father. Mike… more like me, spiteful." She said shaking her head, "I never loved him any less than Mike… is that what he thinks?" Patrice asked.

"Well… can you blame him?" AJ asked.

"I guess not." Patrice said, "I just hope he gives me a chance." She sighed.

"I think he will." AJ nodded with a warm smile.

* * *

Later on, after dinner was cooked, they sat down to it, a much better atmosphere than that dreaded thanksgiving Punk took AJ to just days after they had met. He was actually participating in normal conversation with his mom, and not to mention, she'd made a really good dinner.

"AJ told me you do the cooking in the house." Patrice said as Punk turned to AJ.

"Didn't I tell you about how emasculating that feels?" He said jokingly as AJ laughed, "Only because April burns everything." He told his mom.

"I do not." AJ gapsed.

"Oh, you so do." Punk laughed as Patrice smiled.

"Mommy burns dinner." Harry agreed so discretely as they all laughed at the small boy.

"Hey." AJ laughed a little turning to Harry, "What is this, gang up on AJ?" She said.

"Don't worry." Rick shook his head, "I can't cook to save myself either, sweetheart." He said, "I was telling Patrice about your book." He said.

"I'm really excited to read it, April." Patrice nodded, "I read all the time." She said as AJ smiled.

"I'm glad." She said, "At least I know at least two people will be interested in it." She laughed a little.

"I think it's such a great topic to discuss." She admitted as both Punk and AJ turned to her.

"Topic?" Punk shook his head.

"Sexual abuse." Patrice said, "You must have a good stomach to write about such things."

"You know it's from experience, right?" Punk said to her as Patrice shook her head.

"What?" Patrice said, "But your father said..." She turned to Rick, "Oh… you meant- Oh, I'm so sorry." She apologised quickly, not even realising the significance of it slipping up.

"Don't be stupid. I'm writing about it for millions of people to buy. I'm sure I can handle discussing it at dinner with a few people." She said.

"I thought it was just something you felt strongly about… to talk about… I never knew it was from your own experiences." She said, feeling terrible.

"Well, I wish it was just me writing about something I'm interested in." She admitted, "But no, I'm ok about it. Writing about it actually helps me." She said, "It's not an easy subject to talk about for most people, so I'm hoping the book encourages people to open up." She said as Punk smiled, placing his hand on her lap under the table with a sense of pride.

"I think that's wonderful." Patrice nodded as Punk smiled. Had he really gotten through a family dinner without having to leave abruptly from the table? He couldn't believe it.

Once they had finished, AJ helped Rick back upstairs into bed, Louisa was fast asleep in her stroller in the living room with Harry lying up on the couch watching some TV, and Punk and his mother were in the kitchen doing the dishes.

"You should be proud to call April your wife." Patrice said whilst Punk dried and she washed.

"I am." Punk said, "But… no more than five years ago you were calling her a whore." He said as Patrice nodded.

"And I apologised to her for that. I judged her before getting to know her. She's a wonderful girl. You're very lucky." She said.

"I know." Punk said, "I don't really know how I got so lucky." He admitted.

"She asked me earlier… when I spoke to her, what had changed… why I was all of a sudden, pushing for us to speak." She said, "And I assume you're wondering that too." She said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah. A little." Punk nodded casually.

"Well… when I seen your father in that hospital bed, I thought about the time that I'm gonna be leaving this place. Me and your father aren't getting any younger, and when I'm on my sick bed, I don't want to have any regrets. I don't want to think of you and know you hate me." She shook her head.

"I don't hate you." Punk said, "But it's really hard to not with the way you treat me and my family."

"I still see you as a little boy. I- I distanced myself from you so quickly because I was afriad. I never connected with you when you were a baby. I was too afriad. I thought you were going to die. I didn't think you'd make it, and when you did, I wasn't ready for any of it." She said, "And then you got old enough to mouth off back to me and that just made me madder I guess." She said.

"But you were always there for Mike." He shook his head, "What was so different between us?" He asked.

"I don't think I know the answer to that. Perhaps because it was just Mike when he was a baby, and we were just so used to having him, when you came along a lot changed." She said, "I just never… connected with you the way a mother is supposed to." She said, "And I'm sorry for that." She dropped her dishes back in the sink, "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you as a little boy. I'm sorry I never showed you any sort of affection, I'm sorry for things I said out of spite to my own self. I'm sorry I never seen you get married or was there to see my grandchildren being born." She said, "I think I acted out because I was so mad with myself. I figured I couldn't find my way back from this so why bother?"

"Why bother? I'm your son."

"And I have never forgotten that." Patrice said, "You mean just as much to me as your brother does." She said, "I should have been there for you. I should have." She nodded, "All I'm asking for is a chance to be your mother. Properly." She said.

"We'll see." Punk said, "Just gotta take things slowly." He said as she nodded.

"Of course." She said as he smiled.

* * *

"So it went good?" AJ whispered in a quiet voice as she walked up the stairs in their home, Louisa in her arms whilst Punk carried a sleeping Harry.

"Yeah. We agreed to take things slow." He said, "But yeah, I think it's gonna be ok." He nodded, "Thank you… for persuading me to stop being so stubborn." He said as they reached the top of the stairs, walking into Harry's room where Punk began getting him into his pyjamas.

"It's what I'm here for." She smiled, caressing Louisa as she watched Punk put Harry into bed, smiling as he pressed a kiss on his head and tucked the covers up over him.

"Can you imagine how stubborn I'd be if I didn't have you?" He asked quietly, leaving Harry's room and shutting the door over as they walked into their room together, AJ putting Louisa down first in her crib before turning her attention fully to Punk.

"I'm just really proud of you." She said, wrapping her arms around him, "I know it wasn't easy for you given the way she has treated you, but… I do think her reasons are pretty valid."

"I'm still not too sure." He said.

"Well I believe her." She said, "She clearly loves you, otherwise she wouldn't care about all the horrible things she's said and done. People make mistakes. In her case, a lot of them. Doesn't mean she's a bad person." He said.

"I guess so." Punk said.

"And to show you how proud I am of you..." She smiled, placing a kiss on the corner of his mouth, moving it over and taking his lips in against hers, running her hands through his hair as he grabbed at her waist.

"Ah ah ah..." She pushed him away suddenly as he looked completely devastated, "Oh, don't look so sad. I just want to freshen up." She told him as he rolled his eyes.

"I don't need you fresh." He refused, trying to pull her back in.

"Well I'd rather not stink of beef whilst you're making love to me." She said.

"Since when do we make love?" He asked.

"Since I can't stomach describing it in any other way." She told him as he laughed, "I won't be long. Just be patient." She laughed, rushing off into the bathroom as he collapsed down on the bed smiling to himself. Next thing he knew was his wife screaming out for him to come quick into the bathroom.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think.**


	24. Note

**Note**

* * *

"What? What is it?" Punk rushed into the bathroom, looking at his wife shaking and crying as she held what looked like a post-it note in her hand, handing it to him as he took it from her quickly, reading it with confusion.

"I'll get you again, April. Mr S." He read out, looking up at his wife, "Who is Mr-" He paused, looking back down at the note and then back up at AJ, "Is this..."

"He… he's meant to be… Phil, he's meant to be in jail." She cried recklessly, "What if it was him who was in the house… he obviously put that here-" She said, "He's been here again. I'm scared… I'm scared, Phil. What if he hurts me..."

"I'm not gonna let that happen." Punk said, pulling her into him as she cried whilst he looked at the note, "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." He pulled back and cupped her cheeks roughly, "Listen to me." He said firmly, "I want you to get the kids and go to my parents. Stay there for the night-"

"But where-"

"I'll be right behind you. I'm gonna go to the station, hand them this for evidence, tell them we know who it is." He said.

"Why does he want to come after me, Phil?" She cried.

"I don't know, April. But he's an idiot if he thinks he's gonna get anywhere." He said, "Take the kids to my parents, alright. I'm gonna go to the station." He told her, kissing her head as AJ dried her tears the best she could.

* * *

"Mommy, why are we back at granda's again?" Harry asked sleepily as AJ carried him into Punk's parents house, holding him up with one arm whilst her other had Louisa sleeping in her car seat slung over it.

"We're just gonna stay here for the night, ok, baby?" She kissed his cheek as she walked up the pathway to the house, "Daddy is coming too, he won't be long." She promised, knocking on the door as Patrice came immediately and helped her in quickly.

"I've set up the guest bedroom. I'm afraid we only have one… I can sleep on the couch and Harry can sleep beside Rick-" She panicked as AJ shook her head.

"He can sleep in beside us, it's fine." AJ said as Patrice noticed she had been crying. Punk had called his father before AJ left the house to tell her they were coming and what had happened.

"You poor thing. I'll make you a cup of tea." She said.

"Thank you." AJ squeaked whilst she lay Harry down on the couch, throwing a blanket over him that she spotted over by the chair, making sure he was comfortable as he drifted back to sleep. Louisa was still fast asleep in her car seat so she didn't dare disturb her.

"You done the right thing." Patrice said as AJ walked into the kitchen.

"I've never felt so unsafe in my own home before." AJ shook her head.

"I can think for the life of me why this man would like to cause you any more pain than what he already has." Patrice shook her head, "Should he even be out of prison?" She asked.

"No… I didn't think so." AJ said, "He knows I can defend myself so… so why would he come back to see me?" She shook her head.

"Sounds sick in the head." Patrice spat, "Here you go." She passed AJ the cup of tea she had prepared.

"Thank you." AJ said with appreciation. She was glad that Punk's mom and dad were being so generous as to let them stay. It was clear Punk didn't want them in their own house where it seemed that her abusive teacher knew where they stayed.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" Patrice asked as AJ just shook her head.

"No… not it's ok. I'll just wait for Phil. He shouldn't be too long." She said.

"You're both doing the right thing." Patrice nodded, "There's only one way to get that man locked away again and it's by handing evidence over to the police." She said, "Try not to worry, dear." She told her as AJ just nodded, watching her walk away and back upstairs. She assumed they had both been in bed when Punk called.

AJ only had to wait half an hour before Punk came in the door. She stood up from the couch and immediately locked her arms around his neck tightly.

"Hey, it's fine. I told you I'd be back in no time. It didn't take me long." He said.

"What did they say?" AJ asked.

"Well they're taking it a bit more seriously now. They're gonna check the note for fingerprints just in case it's not what we think, but they seem pretty convinced. I also contacted your lawyer, he's gonna see us tomorrow morning." He said, "Either the cunt has escaped or his sentence is up." He shrugged, "They couldn't tell me." He said.

"So once they realise it's him, then what? He won't just hand himself over to them. What if he's hiding somewhere… and… and watching me… watching us… the kids… I-"

"Shh." Punk shook his head, tucking her hair behind her ears, "Stop taking everything at high speed and just breathe for a second. I won't let him touch you. Or the kids for that matter." He said, "Do you trust me?"

"I trust you." AJ nodded truthfully.

"Then trust me when I say, it's gonna be ok." Punk told her, "Let's just… go to bed, get some sleep." He said.

"Ok." AJ whispered, "Ok." She nodded.

They headed upstairs and managed to squeeze into the one double bed. Harry lay in between them on his back whilst AJ curled into him, playing with his hair whilst looking over at Punk lying on his back with Louisa fast asleep on his chest.

"Was this your room?" She wondered. She was in a little bit of shock to be honest. Knowing that a man who had done such a despicable thing to her, used her and abused her in the way he did, was out and threatening to find her again was completely terrifying. She was just glad she wasn't alone.

"Yeah." He nodded, never even noticing that he used to sleep here every night, well, most nights that he didn't end up staying at Connor's.

"Where did Mike sleep then?" She asked.

"We shared the room." Punk said, "Dad is an electrician and mom didn't work. We didn't have the money for a big house." He told her, tracing light fingertips around his daughter's back whilst AJ looked on at him.

"Why do you think he's doing this?" AJ whispered quietly.

"I'm not sure." Punk said, "But I know he's wasting his time." He said, turning his head to look at her, "Nothing is gonna happen to you. I'll make sure of it." He said.

"I know but I'm still terrified." She sighed.

"I know, but it'll all be over soon." He said, reaching over their son and taking her hand, squeezing it lightly, "It'll all be over soon." He promised quietly as she just nodded slowly.

* * *

The next morning, AJ and Punk woke up to a massive breakfast cooked for them on behalf of his mother. Seeing as they could tell she was worried and was trying to help the situation, they sat down and tried their best to stomach it all. Punk then headed off to see AJ's lawyer. He planned on going out to see him and taking AJ, but he felt much better just going by himself. Anything AJ's lawyer had to say, he could just pass it on, so he headed off with trust in his parents to make sure AJ and the kids were ok.

"I should really get them a change of clothes. And diapers… diapers, I need diapers." AJ said tiredly. She barely slept last night, neither did Punk for that matter.

"I can go if you like." Patrice volunteered. Rick was still resting in bed and she had nothing better to do anyway, but AJ insisted.

"No… I need some air anyway." She shook her head, "I might get some change of clothes for myself too, grab some of their toys incase you know, they get bored… maybe Harry's favourite DVD… Louisa's blanket." She ran away with herself tiredly as Patrice frowned.

"Are you sure you want to go? I can go get it all." Patrice said.

"No… no it's alright, you just stay here with the kids." AJ asked.

"Can't I come with you?" Harry asked, standing up from the couch.

"Oh, alright." AJ nodded, looking over to Patrice, "We won't be long." She nodded as Patrice just smiled, "She might take the rest of her bottle now." AJ said, referring to Louisa as Patrice just nodded.

Last night, AJ had left the house with the kids in such a rush that she'd forgotten to take a lot of things with her, that included clothes. She planned to be gone and straight back to Punk's parents house in absolutely no time.

She headed off in the car to their house and headed in with Harry, packing a bag with some stuff for him, Louisa, herself and Punk.

"Ok, you get some toys for you and your sister." AJ said, "Don't take too long." She said as Harry looked in the living room for his favourite action figures and some things for Louisa.

"Why does Louisa want her toys?" Harry questioned.

"Just get her little rabbit and her blanket for me." AJ said, wandering into the kitchen to collect some formula for Louisa as well as extra bottles. She was so busy, in a rush to quickly get what she needed and go back to Punk's parents, she didn't even notice the door to her office opening whilst she had her back to it placing the formula into the over the shoulder bag she was packing.

"This blanket?" Harry trailer the blanket along the floor whilst walking into the kitchen.

"Yeah. Put it all in here." AJ turned, putting the bag down on the floor, bending over to help her son put some toys in the bag, "What about a DVD? Huh? Go pick a DVD." She kissed his cheek as he rushed back out the kitchen whilst she stayed bended over fixing the bag together.

"My my my..." She heard a croak from behind her as her body froze, "I knew you'd turn into a gorgeous young woman one day." She heard the shrill of his voice speak as she stood up straight, petrified to turn around but doing so anyway, not prepared to see that face again.

* * *

 **A/N: Wrapping this story up now. Hope you guys enjoy the next few chapters!**


	25. Hanging On

**Hanging On**

* * *

"W-What… what are you doing here?" AJ shook her head, her heart racing so fast she thought she might just pass out, reaching out suddenly as she grabbed a knife from the rack in the corner of the kitchen counter, pointing it at him, "Don't… don't you come near me." She said. She hadn't faced him before until now. The last time she seen him in the flesh was when she was a naive little girl. She could defend herself now.

"Oh, c'mon now. Violence isn't the answer. Put that away." He said, "We used to be great friends, April. Don't you remember?" He asked.

"You are psycho." AJ spat, "You took advantage of me when I had no clue what you were doing. You… you hurt me, you mentally scarred me." She spat.

"C'mon, you and me both know you knew exactly what was going on and you liked every single bit of it." He said.

"No!" AJ yelled, "You took advantage of the fact I had no one. No one to tell, no one to talk to about what you done to me. You turned my whole world upside down." She trembled with fear, still holding the knife out in front of her, "You won't lay a finger on me again." She said.

"Is that some sort of a threat?" He shook his head, "Just because you're holding a knife doesn't mean I have to tuck my tail between my legs and leave, April." He chuckled, "You don't even have to call me Mr Smith anymore… just call me Ken." He said.

"I won't call you anything." She spat, "Get out of my house!" She yelled as Harry suddenly came through the door.

"Mommy I picked a DVD." Harry exlaimed excitedly, walking into the kitchen and looking on at his mother holding out a knife in front of her with a man standing not far across from her.

"You must be Harry." Ken grinned to the little boy as Harry looked up at his mother who stepped in front of him.

"Harry, take this bag out to the car for mommy, and stay beside the car, ok?" She crouched down, holding the knife up still in case Ken tried to do anything, "Stay right by the car, ok? Do not move." She told him strictly as he nodded, "Ok." She whispered, leaning in and pretending to kiss his cheek, whispering softly in his ear as she transferred her phone from her jean pocket into the bag she was handing him, "Call daddy." She whispered as quiet as ever into his ear as he just looked up at her, "Ok, stay by the car." She smiled as he just looked up at her and walked away trailing the bag with him as she just hoped he heard what she asked.

"Cute kid." Ken nodded as AJ stood back up straight, holding the knife out still, "So… how much did you miss me?"

"Not one day went by where I didn't think about what you done to me, you sick bastard." She spat.

"You were my favourite." He admitted, taking an apple from the fruit basket, tossing it up and catching it, "What I loved about you was… you'd do absolutely anything I asked, as long as I told you I was your friend." He smirked, "Hell, I think if I told you to jump off a bridge you'd do it no problem." He said.

"I'm not that little girl anymore." She spat, "I can defend myself now. Now I know that what you done to me was wrong." She spat, "And I will get justice for myself, and every other girl you've tortured in the past." She spat.

"Playing the tough girl act now, are we?" He smiled, "I always do like a challenge. It'll be strange. The first time you were so… easy to handle." He said, "You done anything for me. Shall I bring up some favourites of mine? Memories like that kept me going in prison." He admitted.

"You are disgusting." AJ spat, "I had no idea what I was doing but you did, you knew fine well you were taking advantage of a girl who had no idea about anything."

"No… what I seen was a sweet, holy, lonely, beautiful little girl who just needed to smile every now and then." He said, "And I wanted to help you out, and you accepted it. Every bit of it."

"I had no choice." AJ spat.

"Oh, you had a choice."

"You began to force me." AJ said, "That's when I realised." She said.

"So you didn't like my rough side? Maybe I can work on that." He smiled, inching closer to her.

"You won't come near me. You won't touch me ever again. Do you understand me?!" She yelled.

"Or what? You gonna stab me?" He chuckled as AJ's hand shook out in front of her clutching the knife.

"Just… Just stay away." She spat.

* * *

Meanwhile, Punk had arrived back home at his parent's house after seeing AJ's lawyer. He walked through the door and straight into the living room where his mom sat feeding Louisa.

"Where is April?" He asked curiously.

"She took her Harry home to get some things. Clothes, some toys for him, I think she wanted to give him a bath." Patrice said as Punk just nodded, "I volunteered to go but she wouldn't let me." She said.

"I wish she'd just stayed put." He admitted, scratching the back of his neck.

"She'll be fine. She'll be home any time. It was just a few things she was quickly grabbing." Patrice said as Punk nodded, taking a seat on the couch, only just a minute passing before his phone began to ring with an unknown number showing up.

"Hello." He answered.

"Phil? Phil it's Dan. April's father." AJ's dad said as Punk raised his eyebrows with confusion.

"Hey, man. Everything alright?" He asked curiously.

"No… well, I don't think so. I just got a call from AJ's phone, it was Harry. He said that AJ told him to phone me, but… I think it was you he was looking for. He was talking to me like I was you. Obviously April has me saved as dad on her phone so-"

"Harry called… what did he say?" He stood up as Patrice watched.

"That AJ told him to phone you. That was it." Dan said, "Is everything alright, Phil?" Dan asked worriedly.

"Yeah, yeah. It will be. I'll-I'll call you back. I got to go." He hung up.

"What's going on?" Patrice stood up.

"She shouldn't having fucking gone out!" Punk yelled, "Stay here… stay here with Louisa." He ordered, rushing out of the house, grabbing his dad's car keys and taking his car since AJ had taken theirs, breaking every sort of speed limit there was to break just to get to his house, barely letting the car stop before rushing out of it, noticing Harry standing by their car in the driveway with a bag.

"Daddy, that didn't sound like you on the phone." Harry said as Punk panicked.

"Where… where is mommy? Where is she?" Punk asked.

"She's in the kitchen. She had a knife and there was a man." Harry said as Punk shook his head, "I called the special number to tell them mommy was scared."

"What special number?" Punk shook his head.

"The one you and mommy told me to call if something bad happened." He told him. From such a young age, Punk and AJ had taught Harry to call the 911 incase of emergencies or he seen his mother or father sad or frightened.

"You're such a good kid." Punk said with pride, kissing his head, "Stay here. Do not move. Still like a statue alright?" He said as Harry nodded, watching his father run away into their house.

Punk ran through the living room and into the kitchen, bursting in through the door as he seen AJ held captive by who he could only describe as a walking, breathing, tragic and pathetic excuse for a man. Punk noticed she had a swollen, bruised eye and the knife he assumed AJ was once holding was now in the man's hand, held by his wife's neck as she was gripped by the hair.

"I thought you only went for young, clueless girls." Punk said.

"So this is the husband." Ken laughed.

"Let her go." Punk spat, "I'm not fucking around here, pal." Punk shook his head, looking to AJ who was crying with fear.

"April was mine before she was yours. You've just been keeping her warm whilst I was in prison. Now I'm out… I'm ready to take back what's mine again." He smiled.

"She isn't yours. She's never been yours." Punk said.

"You know… I never wanted to hurt anyone in this process." Ken sighed dramatically and sarcastically, "But if I'm gonna have to stick this knife in you just to shut you up then I just might." He shrugged.

"Come do it then." Punk laughed, "You think I care what you do to me? Give me my wife. The cops- they're already on their way."

"Cops don't scare me. I've dealt with them my entire life." He shrugged.

"And what a way to live." Punk shook his head.

"C'mon, April… tell him it's me you want." He grunted, yanking her hair as AJ winced, causing Punk to snap, snatching AJ right from him and launching himself into Ken, tackling him to the ground whilst AJ got herself together, suddenly beginning to panic as she seen her husband and Ken roll around on the kitchen floor, a knife in the mix with them.

"You fucking scum!" Punk yelled, punch after punch, enjoying every single moment of this, having dreamed about this, doing this for AJ, getting justice for after everything he'd done to her.

He was receiving some punches on the other end from Ken but he was still managing to keep on top until he was rolled over suddenly onto his back where Ken began punching him, knife in reach for him as he quickly grabbed it.

Punk suddenly felt a sharp pain he couldn't describe just as AJ came up behind, having pulled the iron from the cupboard, hitting it as hard as she could across Ken's head as he fell over beside Punk, dropping the iron from her shaking hands and crying at what she had just done. Yeah she meant it but it still wasn't in her character to be violent, to anyone.

She was so busy looking at Ken, noticing his chest had stopped rising and falling, that she hadn't even noticed Punk struggling to sit up, turning her attention fully on him as she watched him lift his hand from his stomach, blood running down his fingers as she shook her head, watching him hold the bloody knife she had introduced in the beginning.

"No..." AJ whispered, sinking down to her knees beside him, "No..." She lifted his t-shirt up, "No, no, no." She cried, quickly stripping her cardigan off, scrunching it up and pressing it against his stomach, "No it's gonna be fine… it's gonna be ok, look at me." She told him as he collapsed against her.

"Fuck, this hurts." He moaned in pain.

"It's ok, baby. You're gonna be ok." She promised, kissing his head, watching his eyes roll around in his head, "Please keep your eyes opened." She whispered, pressing a kiss against the side of his head.

"I'm sorry I didn't… didn't get here quick enough." He groaned.

"You promised you'd protect me and… and you did." She said.

"Didn't do a very good… fuck… very good job of it." He smiled a little with weak eyes that threatened to close over.

"No… no please don't close your eyes… just focus on me." She nodded as he opened his eyes back up, looking up at her.

The rain began to batter down outside, so fast that the power had gone out as she sat in darkness with him, watching him chuckle to himself as she cried but laughed at the same time.

"What? What is it?" She said.

"You remember… you remember when we first met and… and there was a power cut… you stayed at my place all night and I…. I lit candles." He smiled in a daze as she nodded.

"Yeah, yeah… I remember." She nodded with a smile, "You wouldn't let me drive back home in the weather." She laughed through her tears as he smiled.

"That was a… that was a good night." He nodded, groaning loudly as his pain became unbearable.

"Shh… shh… police will be on their way." She told him, "Please just… just hang on. Please hang on." She kissed his head multiple times, pressing her cheek against his forehead.

* * *

 **A/N: Gahh. Let me know what you think.**


	26. Jane Eyre

**Jane Eyre**

* * *

"How is he? Is he gonna be alright?" AJ asked whilst standing in a hospital corridor as she waited on news whilst a doctor approached her.

"He's still in surgery, Miss." The doctor said, "It's late. Why don't you go home. The hospital will call with any news." He said as AJ shook her head, her tired eyes stinging with tears.

"No. I'm not leaving." She refused, "You must know how he is. He's been in there for a while now." She clasped her hands over her mouth, "Please tell me he's ok." She begged.

"He's still alive." The doctor nodded, "But he's losing a lot of blood. The doctors and nurses are doing all they can." He said, "He could be in there a while."

"How-How long? But he's ok, right? He's fine. You said he's ok." AJ said, barely even listening to what the doctor had said, watching him place his hand on her arm sympathetically.

"We're doing all we can." He nodded.

"April Brooks?" Two police officers walked down the corridor as AJ turned around, placing her hand on her forehead, "We'd like to ask you a few questions, April."

"No, I'm busy." AJ shook her head.

"We will call." The doctor said to AJ who trembled with fear as she turned back to the police officers. She wasn't stupid. She knew what they were here for. Normally Punk would tell her it'd be ok, just stay calm, answer their questions and it'll be fine, but where was he? Lying in surgery half dead.

"How long will this take?" AJ turned the police officers.

"Just come with us, Miss." One of them said as AJ nodded, walking on forward as the police guided behind her.

* * *

She drove to the station with them and was put in an interviewing room where her lawyer was whilst they waited for someone to come speak to her.

"I told Phil everything." Her lawyer sat beside her, "He didn't tell you?"

"He never got the chance." AJ squeaked, "Why? What is it?" She turned to him just as a police officer came through the door, a woman thankfully, sitting down across from AJ.

"April, I'm officer Brown, I'd just like to ask you a few questions. Would that be ok?" She asked as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ said quietly.

"Tonight a man died in your house, and I've got word your husband is severely injured. Is this true?" She asked as AJ nodded.

"Yes." AJ nodded.

"Would you like to tell me what happened?" She asked calmly.

"It… It all happened so fast. I'd went home with my son to get some clothes and he was there… I sent my son outside and he phoned my husband. Ken… punched me, grabbed me by the hair and took the knife I was holding-"

"Why were you holding a knife?" Officer Brown asked.

"I was scared. I thought he was going to hurt me." AJ whimpered, "And then my husband came… next thing I knew he'd jumped on Ken and was laying into him. I got scared… I didn't want to lose my husband… he's the only thing that matters to me. I grabbed the iron from the cupboard, it was the first thing I could reach, and I hit him across the head with it." AJ said, her hands shaking.

"It's alright." Officer Brown noticed her shaking hands, "With the offences this man has on his criminal record, you shouldn't worry."

"I thought he was gonna hurt me again." AJ cried, "And then… then my husband was bleeding and now he's at the hospital and I don't know what to do." She cried as the officer sat back, nodding to AJ's lawyer and the other cops in the room to leave.

"You protected yourself." Officer Brown said as AJ looked up, "You protected yourself and your husband. Mr Smith had escaped from a mental hospital a few weeks ago."

"Mental hospital?" AJ shook her head.

"Let's just say I think his years of torturing young girls had caught up with him… he was sectioned and proved clinically insane." She said, "And as a woman, I'm pretty damn glad you ended up the lucky one in all of this."

"But my husband..." AJ cried as Officer Brown just nodded.

"I know." Officer Brown said, "You should get home. Get some sleep. I'm sure the hospital will call with news for you in the morning, as for this case… I don't think we'll be pressing charges." She nodded.

"He's really gone." AJ smiled through her tears, "Did I… Did I do the right thing?" She wondered.

"In your situation, yeah." The officer nodded, "You protected yourself and your husband." She nodded, "You should get home now. Go see your children." She nodded as AJ just dried her tears.

She felt numb. She knew they couldn't really throw her in jail. She was acting out in the heat of the moment. Protecting herself, protecting Punk from getting hurt. And like the officer said, with the past between her and Ken, it was almost like she was secretly praising AJ. She was glad she was so understandable. She supposed it was time to go home and see the kids.

* * *

She got home, early hours into the morning, stumbling into Punk's parents house and closing the door behind her, looking over as she seen Harry fast asleep on the couch, both Rick and Patrice waiting downstairs.

"Have you heard anything?" Rick asked as AJ shook her head, putting her car keys down, trying her best not to start crying again.

"He's still in surgery. He's… he's lost a lot of blood." AJ said, "I don't know… they won't tell me anything." She cried as Rick walked over to her and hugged her tightly, "It's all my fault." She cried.

"It's no ones fault." Rick said, hugging her tightly, "He's a strong boy. He'll pull through." Rick believed whilst Patrice quickly left the room in a fit of tears. None of her boys had been in situations like this, and especially now that her and Punk were possibly on a road to a better relationship, it seemed like it was her fate that something bad happened to him.

"I'm so scared." AJ cried, "If anything happens to him-"

"Shh." Rick soothed, "We're here for you. You know how strong he is. Better than anyone. He has a reason to hold on. You, his children, his life with you. Don't think of the worst, sweetheart." Rick sighed.

"I'm just so scared." She cried.

"I know." Rick nodded, "Me too."

* * *

Meanwhile back at the hospital, Punk had been moved out of surgery and into intensive care. They'd done all they possibly could, and now it was just up to him whether his body was strong enough to hold on and fight or whether things were gonna go blank. Completely blank.

" _There comes a time in everyone's life where they must choose what is right and what is easy. What would you do, Phil? Would you… take the easy way out, or the right way out?"_

 _He found his younger self staring across at AJ. She was young too. It was exactly like the dream she'd told him about, only they were in some sort of spaced out land, nothing but grass. She sat with her legs in a basket reading a book to him whilst he sat watching her. His long, blond hair tied back in a bobble with his cap on his head._

" _Depends what the easy way is and what the right way is." Punk folded his arms._

" _Do you have to question everything?" She asked curiously with a smile._

" _There's nothing wrong with being curious." He smiled, "What's that you're reading anyway?" He snatched the book from her like the rotten teenage boy he was as she frowned._

" _Hey." She said._

" _Jane Eyre?" He raised his eyebrows, "What's this even about?" He questioned._

" _It's about this girl." AJ said briefly as Punk laughed._

" _Right… thank you for that summary I can really picture a scenario in my head." He nodded, handing her the book back._

" _You wouldn't be interested." She shook her head._

" _Why not?" He wondered._

" _Because it's about love. Overcoming things." She said._

" _You really think I'm heartless, don't you?" He gasped dramatically, "Go on.. give me a quote. Impress me, book worm." He said as she laughed and shook her head._

" _Fine." She said, "_ _I have for the first time found what I can truly love–I have found you. You are my sympathy–my better self–my good angel–I am bound to you with a strong attachment. I think you good, gifted, lovely: a fervent, a solemn passion is conceived in my heart; it leans to you, draws you to my centre and spring of life, wrap my existence about you–and, kindling in pure, powerful flame, fuses you and me in one."_

 _Punk smiled, "That's sweet." He admitted._

" _Yeah. You like that one?" She nodded._

" _Yeah… is that your favourite one?" He smiled. He knew she loved reading. Reading and writing. That was her thing._

" _One of my favourites." She nodded._

 _He couldn't tell where they were. It was nowhere he could remember. It was just grass he could see that they were sitting on. They were young, but a bond was there between them. It was all very strange._

" _What's your number one favourite one?" He asked her as she skimmed through the pages._

" _Let me find it. I have it bookmarked." She giggled as he smiled watching her, "Ah, here it is." She nodded, "_ _I had not intended to love him; the reader knows I had wrought hard to extirpate from my soul the germs of love there detected; and now, at the first renewed view of him, they spontaneously revived, great and strong! He made me love him without looking at me."_ _She smiled, looking up past him as he stared at her, "What?" She laughed._

" _Nothing it's just… I like listening to you read." He smiled._

" _I normally don't have anyone to read to." She admitted looking down._

" _Well you can come read to me anytime you like." He smiled as she laughed._

" _Really?" She smiled._

" _Yeah." He nodded, "I like the sound of your voice."_

" _Why are you being so nice to me?" She wondered, "Normally people don't bother with me." She admitted._

" _Because I like you." He said, "Is that a criminal sin?" He asked._

" _No… I'm just not used to it."_

" _Do you think your life would be different if I was around more?" He wondered._

" _In which way would you be around?" She asked._

" _Which way would you want me to be around?" He asked._

" _I don't know." She said timidly as he laughed._

" _I'd take good care of you." Punk nodded, "What he done to you… that wasn't love. He just used you for his own personal needs." He shook his head, "I'd treat you right."_

" _Would you do what he done to me?" She hugged her arms timidly, "That's what friends do… right?"_

" _No, April." He shook his head, "That's what_ _you do when you love someone and you want to be with them every day and night, you want to love them like that all the time and not just for your own needs but for theirs too." He said, "That's why what he was doing was… wrong." He said._

" _So… like a boyfriend?" She wondered._

" _Yeah." He nodded._

" _I don't know." AJ shook her head, "I'd be too scared to get close to anyone at this point." She said._

" _Why?" He wondered._

" _Incase I lost them." She shrugged, "Growing so attached to someone… loving them, means you depend on them, for almost everything. And then suddenly… they disappear and… you're helpless?" She said, "Why would I want that?"_

" _Because everything that happens before you lose them makes it all worth it." He smiled, "Don't be afraid of losing someone you love… especially if the life you lived with them was perfect." He told her as she just smiled, "And to answer you… what I would pick between easy and right… I'd always pick the right option, no matter… how hard it is." He shrugged._

" _Then wake up." AJ whispered, leaning over and pressing a kiss on his cheek, "Wake up, Phil."_

Punk opened up his eyes suddenly, looking around the hospital room, in nothing but pain, resting his head back on the pillow as his doctor walked into the room.

"How are you feeling?" He asked as Punk just nodded, gulping a few times to clear his throat.

"Ok… sore." He admitted.

"The pain should subside in an hour or so. We've just gave you your medication." He said, "You know everything that has happened?" He wondered.

"Yeah." Punk said, he remembered everything.

"We've stitched you up. You lost a lot of blood in surgery, but your wound should heal nicely. You're a very lucky man." He said, "Would you like me to call your wife?" He asked.

"Yeah." Punk nodded with a sigh, "Please." He sighed, longing to see nothing but AJ.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think.**


	27. No Regrets

**No Regrets**

* * *

"Phil… Oh, thank God you're alright." AJ said, stumbling into the room, having whizzed down to the hospital as quick as she could when she got the phone call that he was awake. She couldn't describe how happy she was to receive that phone call, and to now see him awake, she felt so lucky, "Are you ok? Are you in pain?" She rushed to him, taking his hand in hers tightly.

"I've been… been better." Punk winced a little, any sort of movement was causing him pain from his stomach, but he was so happy to see you, "But I think… I think I'll be fine." He told her.

"I'm so sorry." She cried, sinking her head into the crook of his neck, trying to hug him the best she could without hurting him. She just wanted to get in beside him and never leave from his arms.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Punk whispered.

"I should have been quicker… or… or I just shouldn't have called you." She shook her head.

"I'd rather be here than have you here." He told her with a small smile as she just shook her head.

"I thought I was going to lose you." She cried, it finally sinking in that she hadn't lost him, he was right here. It had just made her realise how much he really meant to her. She would be hopeless without him. Completely hopeless.

"Not that easy." He shook his head as she smiled through her tears, "Stop crying." He told her.

"I'm trying." She said, drying her tears and taking a seat beside his bed, taking his hand back in his again, "They're… they're not pressing charges." She told him.

"Good." He nodded, "I'm not in a position to fight some cops." He rolled his head back, shutting his eyes closed.

"Are you tired?" She asked, "I can… I can go. I just wanted to see you." She said.

"No, don't go." He opened his eyes back up, "I hate this place." He scoffed as she smiled, "I want to go home." He admitted as she laughed a little.

"You've just woken up." She said.

"Is Harry alright?" Punk turned to her, "I told him to stay by the car… did he stay by the car?" He asked as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ smiled, "He called my dad thinking it was you, he must have seen dad on the contacts… I had to call my dad to tell him what was going on." She said.

"Yeah, it was your dad that called me, that's how I knew to go to the house." Punk said, chuckling a little, realising it was too sore to do so, "He's a good kid." Punk smiled as AJ nodded.

"Your mom and dad were really worried." She said, "They're so relieved you're ok." She said.

"Even my mom?" He asked.

"Especially your mom." AJ nodded, "Did they say what they done in surgery?" She wondered, still holding his hand tightly.

"I think the problem was I was losing too much blood. I had a blood transfusion and they stitched me up. I bet they… they made everything more serious than it actually was for you." He shook his head.

"Or… you're just strong as ever and pulled through really well." She smiled, "I'm so glad you're ok." She sighed, leaning over and cupping his cheeks, pressing a kiss on his lips as he kissed back. He couldn't imagine never kissing her again. He couldn't imagine not waking up and seeing her face. Not waking up at all.

"I had a dream." He said as she pulled back from the kiss and sat back down.

"About what?" She asked.

"It was us… we were younger, kinda like the one you had… only we were in this meadow like place. It was just grass." He said as AJ listened with fascination, "It was like everything with your teacher had happened and he was gone, and we were just talking, like we'd known each other for years." He said, "You were reading a book. Jane Eyre." He said as she smiled.

"I read that when I was fifteen." She said as he nodded.

"You were reading me your favourite quotes from the book. And they all meant something… it was like… they were directed at me. I can't really remember them." He admitted as she just smiled.

"Maybe your mind was trying to tell you something." She said, rubbing her thumb over the top of his hand.

"You told me you were scared of loving someone incase you lost them, and then you told me I had to wake up." He said, "You said some other things but I can't really remember." he admitted.

"Sounds like a nice dream." She smiled dreamily.

"It was." Punk smiled to himself.

"I'm sure I still have that book under our bed. Maybe you should read it." She grinned as he laughed.

"Stop making me laugh." He moaned a little as she frowned, but watching him smile a little.

"It's a good book." She defended.

"I don't read unless it's a comic." He told her.

"Oh, I know." She nodded, "Are you on some pain relief medication?" She asked as he nodded.

"Yeah, but it doesn't seem to be doing much." He admitted, "Is… the guy… your teacher, is he really-"

"Dead." AJ nodded.

"Are you ok?" He asked her seriously.

"Did you expect me to be upset?" She raised her eyebrows.

"No, I just mean… the way it all happened. I know you're not a violent person." He said. He couldn't help wonder if she'd been dealing with what had happened. She did leave him stone cold dead in their kitchen floor.

"I was shaken at first, but… he's gone. I don't… I don't have to worry anymore. He deserved it after he done to me and all those other girls." She said as Punk smiled.

"I'm proud of you." He nodded, taking his hand and tracing his finger over her bruised eye, "Did he hit you?" He asked, he remembered now that he'd seen her with a bruise just above her eye when he got to their house.

"Yeah." She nodded as Punk just nodded.

"Wish I got to hit him some more." Punk grunted as AJ smiled.

"What's done is done." She said, "I'm just so glad you're ok." She sighed, "I was going out of my mind waiting for them to call me." She said, "And not knowing what they were even gonna say." She said.

"You don't have to worry." He told her, "I'm not going anywhere." He smiled as she nodded, "Come here." He nodded her.

"Phil, I can't-"

"Oh, just come here." He said as she sat down on the edge of the bed, knowing his wound was at the other side, feeling him tug her down a little as she curled on her side into him. Probably not the best idea and not acceptable in the views of doctors, but they didn't care.

"Promise me you won't ever leave me." She looked up at him.

"As long as you promise me you won't leave me." He said as she smiled.

"I promise." She nodded.

"Me too." He whispered, "I promise." He nodded, shutting his eyes over. Truth was he was tired, but he didn't want her to go. He wanted her right here by his side.

* * *

 _Three weeks later…_

Punk had gotten out of hospital just in time for the holidays. Like planned, Punk didn't want to let AJ down, and they decided to invite both their families for Christmas dinner, only problem was, he was in a wheelchair. It was just temporary until he could get back on his feet again, but it was a pain in the neck. His wound was still healing and he was still sore, but he had come on leaps and bounds from three weeks ago.

It was just what AJ wanted, both their families together, their children. She didn't plan for Punk to be so injured and in a wheel chair, but he was still here and that was all that mattered.

"Need a hand?" Punk asked, wheeling himself into the kitchen as AJ laughed. She knew it was wrong but sometimes she just couldn't take him seriously. He had been joking around on the wheelchair ever since he was told to use it and she felt awful for laughing.

"You can't reach the counter." AJ said in the politest way she could.

"I take things to the trash." He said as she just shook her head.

"It's alright." She nodded, "I'm managing fine. Why don't you go back in and make sure your dad isn't trying to kill my dad." She said.

"That's exactly why I came in here." He admitted. He only had to use the wheelchair for a week out of hospital. So far he'd been out three days. He was doing exercises and going to physio therapy every second day so he was getting there.

"I can't believe they all actually came." She admitted to him as he watched her put the food in the oven.

"I'm starving." He admitted as she laughed, walking over to him, sitting on his lap carefully with her legs dangling off, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You're just gonna have to wait." She smiled.

"You ever had sex on a wheelchair?" He smirked as she shook her head.

"Phil." She said with disappointment, "You are disgusting." She shook her head, but she loved to see he had gotten his sense of humour back.

"What? I'm just asking."

"No. I haven't." AJ said.

"Well… you know what they say, first time for everything." He smirked.

"Can you stop with the wheelchairs jokes and digs." She shook her head.

"What? I'm getting rid of it in a few days, I wanna make the most of it. Do all the spins and tricks I can in it." He smirked like a child.

"Some people are sitting in one of these for life. Just be grateful and stop making immature jokes."

"I didn't even make a joke. I asked you to have sex with me on it." He shrugged.

"We have a perfectly good bed upstairs."

"So there will be some sort of sex tonight." He said as AJ stood up.

"You're unbelievable." She said, but smiled nonetheless, "Go speak to our family please and stop staring at my ass too." She said, bent over at the trash as he shook his head out of the trance he was in… with her ass.

"Ok, I'm going." He nodded, heading back into the living room.

* * *

Later on, after an amazing dinner cooked all by AJ, the family lounged about in the living room. Little Harry was completely exhausted, what with the excitement of not only Christmas and opening his presents this morning, but also having his birthday yesterday, turning four years old. He was up in bed along with Louisa in her crib.

Punk was sitting in the living room with his mom whilst AJ and Punk's father's continued to bicker over hockey and other sports at the opposite side. AJ's mom was in the kitchen helping AJ tidy up.

"I think this is the happiest I've seen you." Patrice smiled to her son.

"I'm feeling better." He nodded, "And I get out of this thing in a few days. I just… can't wait to get back to normality." He said.

"It's been chaos, hasn't it?" She said as Punk nodded, "I'm just so glad you're ok." She admitted.

"Me and AJ are really grateful to you and dad's help these past few weeks with the kids." He nodded to her. His mom and dad had been great. With Punk obviously being in hospital for quite some time, it was hard for him to care for two children and it was too much for AJ to deal with on her own. His mom and dad had been great at helping out.

"It's been our pleasure… I'm just glad you've let me get to know them." Patrice smiled.

"I'm glad too." He nodded. Their relationship was still going extremely slow but it definitely was going somewhere.

"You'll never know how thankful I am that you decided to give me another chance. I've-I've made so many mistakes whilst bringing you up, but I am so incredibly proud of you, and your family, and the life you have." She said.

"We're moving on from all of that, aren't we?" He said, "It's a fresh start." He said as she nodded.

"A fresh start." She smiled.

* * *

"I think this has been my favourite Christmas to date." AJ admitted whilst stripping off her clothes in their room, looking over at Punk laid up on their bed. It wasn't that he couldn't walk. It just took it out of him. She'd help him up and down the stairs.

"Yeah, it was good." Punk agreed, "I think Harry liked his presents." He smiled as AJ nodded.

"His little face when he was opening them all up." AJ recalled with a large smile.

"And Louisa looked so into hers." He joked as AJ laughed.

"She was so confused at all the wrapping." She giggled.

"But hey..." He turned to his side to see no crib. Now that Louisa was old enough, she was in her own room, "No baby in our room anymore." He smirked.

"Well don't get any ideas." She told him, slipping her shorts on.

"Who said I had ideas?" He said innocently as she turned to him.

"You didn't have to say anything. It's all on your face." She said as Punk just laughed, "I don't want you to hurt yourself." She said.

"Who said I even have to move?" He grinned as she folded her arms.

"Look at you… you're enjoying this… you're loving all of this attention." She shook her head.

"Just attention from you." He smiled, "C'mon… It's Christmas." He waved her over.

"And?" She laughed, knowing fine well that he'd get exactly what he wanted, climbing onto their bed and kneeling beside him.

"So… give me a little holiday love." He smiled as she laughed.

"What if I hurt you? You don't even have your stitches out yet." She said.

"I'll just bite my tongue." He shrugged as she laughed, shaking her head and leaning over, pressing her lips against his whilst lifting her top off, slowly climbing over him, making sure to straddle below his wound, not wanting to hurt him in anyway.

"Is this what you had in mind?" She whispered, pressing her forehead against his as he smiled.

"To a T." He smiled, running his hands up her sides, pressing his lips back against hers, smiling against it. His mother was right. This was the happiest he'd been. He felt like AJ had got her justice. It was all just one long lasting nightmare. And he realised just how precious life was. Maybe that's what his mother meant. Lying in that hospital bed, he knew what she meant by not wanting to have any regrets. He didn't want to have any regrets.

* * *

 **A/N: Next Chapter will be the epilogue. Hope you all enjoyed. Thanks for the reviews. Let me know what you think.**


	28. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

* * *

 _Seven months later…_

"Can you blow out your candle, baby?" AJ encouraged after sitting down a birthday cake with a candle on it for Louisa's birthday. She was in her high chair, looking around at all the people here to see her on her day. She squealed as they sang happy birthday to her, clapping her hands with excitement but as soon as they stopped and the cake was in front of her, she wasn't sure what to do.

"Can I blow it?" Harry asked.

"You want help from your brother?" Punk said as Louisa looked up at him and then back to her mother. She was a dainty, beautiful little thing. Light hair and dark eyes, a gorgeous smile that was never from her face. She'd grown up so much.

"Ok, you help her." AJ smiled as Harry crept in beside Louisa's high chair, helping her blow out the candle on her birthday cake.

The one year old banged her fists off the high chair with excitement. She didn't really know what was going on, but she was loving all of this attention, and her parents had done everything to make her day special, from all her fascinating presents, to decorating the house, to having their family and friends over.

"Can I have a bit now?" Harry asked his mom who took the cake away over to the kitchen counter.

"Yeah, can I get in on that too?" Connor added as AJ laughed.

"Yeah, I'll cut a few pieces." She smiled whilst Punk took care of the birthday girl, wandering off into the living room with her swinging from his hip.

"Can you say dada?" He asked her, "Da da." He said slowly, "Dada?" He tilted his head as she just giggled, placing her hand over his mouth, "Oh, you just want me to shut up?" He asked her with a smile, taking a seat on the couch with her on his lap, "You were spoiled today, little lady." He smiled, "Look at all these presents." He said as he looked at all the opened presents in the living room.

"Have you had a good day?" He asked her as she looked up at him, quickly turning away reaching out for her rabbit that was beside Punk, taking it from him when he handed her it, "You all tired out now? Sleepy time?" He asked her as she leaned into the curve of his arm, holding her rabbit, "One years old, huh? Must feel nice. You look pretty relaxed." He observed at her comfortably lying against him whilst listening to him speak, "Daddy loves you so so much." He said, "So does mommy and your brother, your grandparents- they all love you." He smiled, "You're lucky." He told her, not noticing AJ creeping into the living room whilst the rest of the family stayed in the kitchen.

"Next year you'll be two… you'll be walking by then. Talking." He said, "I really should start worrying shouldn't I… I mean, as soon as you start walking that's it… it's all downhill from there, one minute you're walking from here to the TV, next you're walking out the door into a car to go see your boyfriend." He shook his head as AJ smiled.

"I think she has a while before that." AJ laughed, walking further into the living room as Louisa looked up at the sound of her mother's voice, waving her arms out as AJ took her into her arms, collapsing down on the couch beside Punk.

"You're all tired out, baby. Aren't you?" AJ said as Louisa snuggled down against her, "Or has daddy's rambling made you tired? Makes me tired." She nodded.

"Hey." Punk laughed, "I was not rambling. I was talking to her."

"He was rambling." AJ nodded to Louisa, "I think she had a good day." She turned to Punk who nodded.

"A really good day." He said.

"I'm so glad everyone is here for her… and Harry." AJ smiled.

"Me too." Punk nodded, "I love seeing her smile." Punk said, turning to Louisa who was grinning up at him.

"Me too." AJ laughed, "Do you think she knows how much we love her?" She asked him.

"I doubt it. I don't think you could ever understand that kind of love." He said, "She's the most loved one year old out there, definitely." He said, stroking her cheek as she shied away into her mother's arm, "Oh, so now you're shy but when you wanna pee it's completely fine to aim straight at me?" He questioned as she giggled, "She knows fine well what I'm saying." He scoffed.

"I'm gonna take her to bed. She's tired." AJ smiled, kissing her head as Punk nodded.

"Goodnight, baby girl." Punk smiled, leaning over and pressing a kiss on his daughter's head, "I love you so so so so much." He said, watching AJ stand up and walk off, heading for the stairs whilst Punk entered the kitchen to see what was going on.

* * *

"I think this is your coat, mom." Punk said whilst seeing his mother and father out later on that night, always the last to leave as per usual.

"Did Louisa like her presents?" Patrice asked curiously whilst getting her coat on. Since Rick's heart attack, he was getting on fine, and so was Patrice, even more so now she was getting along with her son and getting to see her grandchildren. AJ had even started going round for a coffee every now and then whilst he was at work. It was crazy to think how much had changed. But for the better of course.

"She loved them." Punk laughed, "All 12 of them." He shook his head.

"Well… I wanted to make up for all the birthdays I've missed, you know."

"She just turned one." Punk raised his eyebrows.

"Too much wine." Rick shook his head, "C'mon, Patrice let's leave the boy alone." He encouraged as Patrice just nodded, wrapping her arms around Punk who hugged her back. It sure felt strange, but she had changed her ways, she had sat back and admitted to her mistakes, and Punk couldn't ask for much more.

"Thanks for coming." Punk smiled, giving his father a hug too.

"It was our pleasure. We'll see you soon." He said, leaving the house as Punk waved them off and shut the door over.

He headed into the living room, chuckling at the scene of Harry passed out on the couch. He grabbed a blanket and threw it over him, brushing his hair from his face and kissing his head, walking on by and into the kitchen where he last seen AJ, noticing her office door opened, walking on into the office where he seen her sitting at her desk.

"I thought today was a non-writing day." He raised his eyebrows.

"Well, the kids are both sleeping." She shrugged, "I want to finish this chapter." She smiled to him.

"What chapter?" He wandered over to her.

"Meeting you." She smiled.

"Ah, the best chapter of the book then." He folded his arms.

"Of course." She smiled, "You can go on to bed." She said, "I shouldn't be too long."

"Why don't you read me something you've wrote?" He smirked.

"I wanted you to wait… to read it when it was published." She said.

"A few lines won't hurt." He said, "Go on… make me teary." He said as she laughed.

"Oh, alright." She said, scrolling up to find something to read to him, "I never expected to fall in love with him so quickly. In fact… I never thought I'd fall in love with him at all. I knew that I'd vowed to abstain myself from love the minute I figured out what my high school teacher had been doing to me for a full year. But now, just the sight of him gives me the butterflies I felt when I first met him. He made me love him without even laying eyes on him." She smiled, looking up at him as he smirked.

"Did Jane Eyre come here and give you a helping hand?" He raised his eyebrows as she laughed.

"She did. She's a really cool chick actually." She nodded, "Ok, so I had a little help, but it's still my very own words, and it's… what I feel." She shrugged.

"I like it." He nodded with a cool smile, "I really like it." He smiled.

"Well good… I'm glad." AJ smiled, "I can't believe how much I've gotten through already." She shook her head in disbelief.

"You're doing good, Ape. I'm really proud of you." He nodded, "But you know you don't write as well when you're tired. We've been up since 6. Maybe you should just… come to bed."

"Afraid you'll get cold?" She smirked.

"Me? No. I'm just afraid you'll get cold down here yourself."

"Then stay here with me." She smirked, biting her lip as Punk made his way round her desk.

"I might just." He nodded, leaning down and pressing a kiss on her lips, feeling her stand up and deepen it, running her fingers through his hair as he picked her up and sat her on the part of the desk that was clear.

"H-Hurry." She groaned as he kissed at her neck whilst she pulled at his t-shirt, pulling it over his head and throwing it away whilst she threw away her own t-shirt whilst he focused on her jeans, unbuttoning them and pulling them down her legs whilst she kicked them away, leaning back up and kissing her lips whilst she unbuckled his jeans, sliding them down with her feet and putting her hand in his boxers, stroking him up and down as he groaned into her lips.

"Fuck." Punk moaned, his lips falling from hers.

"Yeah, you like that?" She hummed, kissing his chest whilst he got himself together, crouching down as she watched, placing her hands on the table, leaning back slightly as he shifted her panties to the side and began using his tongue on her.

"Oh, God! Oh, yes! Right there… that feels so good." She moaned, feeling him suck her clit and the wetness around it, keeping her folds parted the entire time whilst he ate her like his last meal.

"Fuck… just like that." She ran her fingers through his hair as he looked up at her. He used his tongue on her until she reached her orgasm, collapsing back on the desk with her back arched whilst Punk grinned.

"You taste so good." He groaned, standing up straight, pulling her up and pressing his lips back against hers as she breathlessly kissed him back. She was still trembling from her high, quivering and letting him do whatever he wanted.

"I want you inside me." She moaned whilst pulling back from the kiss.

"That makes the both of us." He whispered, shifting his boxers down to free his hard length whilst he ripped her panties off completely instead of just taking them down.

"Oh… those are my favourite panties." She frowned.

"Then I'll buy you a new pair I can rip off again." He said, sliding himself into her as she gripped his arms.

"Fuck!" She moaned, "Oh, god… harder, faster..." She gasped as he began to thrust into her fast, holding onto her sides whilst kissing her lips roughly.

* * *

"Well that all escalated rather quickly." AJ admitted in a gasp, lying on the floor on top of Punk, "Now I'm definitely to tired to write anymore." She admitted, looking up at him as he smiled.

"So you'll come to bed?" He asked her.

"Yeah but… let me just lay here for a second." She said, resting her head back on his chest, "I might not say it often, but… life got really good for me when you came into it." She said, "And I know we say we love each other so easily now but… I'll never not mean it from the bottom of my heart." She said, "I love you so much." She said as he kissed her head.

"I love you too." He said quietly.

They lay there for a few minutes and then eventually got up and put their clothes back on, walking back into the kitchen and into the living room where Punk collected Harry who was still out cold fast asleep, leaving AJ to lock up everywhere whilst he put his son into bed.

He placed Harry into his bed, tucking the covers up over him and pressing a kiss on his head as AJ joined in, giving her sleeping son a goodnight kiss, leaving his room, passing Louisa's and heading into their own. Life had never been so sweet.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed! Let me know what you thought of the story.**


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